All These Lives
by Shananigan
Summary: Seven years since they had last seen each other, Maggie and Bianca are brought together by a tragic event. The situation quickly spirals out of control. As the mystery begins to unravel, their family and friends gather around for support. A relationship is rekindled, but at what cost? BAM, Kenlee, AMC & some GH characters. Language & Violence.
1. Chapter 1

**All These Lives**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything except Mass Effect 2. ;) Seriously, AMC and characters belong to ABC.

**Summary:** Seven years since they had last seen each other, Maggie and Bianca are brought together by a tragic event which affects far more than just their relationship. BAM

**Author's Note:** Thoughts are in _italics_.

* * *

**Part 1:**

Maggie Stone held her son's hand as she walked down Avenue Rapp. Every morning mother and son would leave their apartment on Avenue de la Motte-Piquet and make their way to their favorite café for breakfast. Café de l'Alma was close to Leo's primary school and his father would meet them for breakfast after his shift at Clinique Saint Jean de Dieu. Once the family finished breakfast, Maggie would depart for her shift at Hôpital Necker while Leo and his father departed for Institut Prive de l'Alma, Leo's private school. Today hadn't started any different. That is until the tiny brunette stopped abruptly in the middle of the street they had been crossing. Motorists and pedestrians yelled angrily in her direction, but Maggie couldn't really hear them. A huge sense of dread had overwhelmed her suddenly and she couldn't ignore it… _Something's wrong… _Maggie didn't know what came over her, but she immediately lifted Leo onto her back and began running. She knew exactly where she needed to be… _Oh God, please…_

Leo held on tight to his mother as she crossed the river into Passy. He kept quiet as she ran, but was curious as to who they knew that lived in this wealthy part of Paris. Before he knew it, they were skidding to a stop in front of a house he had only seen once in an old photograph. Feeling his mother pat his bottom, Leo took the hint and slid off her back. His mother ran to the front door of the beautiful little house and proceeded to wake the neighborhood with her knocking… _If you can call that knocking… it's more like a drum solo._

The door quickly swung open and the tall woman on the other side stared at her visitors in shock. Standing in front of her was a woman she hadn't spoken to in seven years. "Maggie?"

The older woman had already begun to panic, "Bianca! Where's Miranda?"

Bianca tilted her head to the side confused, "She's upstairs getting ready for school… why?"

Looking into the younger woman's eyes, Maggie pushed past her ex-lover and rushed to the stairs taking two at a time.

Bianca stood incredulous for a moment and ushered the little boy into her house. Turning to her youngest daughter, she introduced the two children, "Gabrielle, could you please get this young man some breakfast?" She heard Maggie yell Miranda's name a few times while running up the stairs. She was starting to get a headache and was quite annoyed with the turn of events this morning had taken. _What the hell is going on?_

Leo waved his hand in front of the woman's face and smiled. "Hi! You look familiar… oh! Mama's got a picture of you in her wallet!" He noticed her frown turn into a small smile as he grabbed his mother's discarded bag and pulled out a worn photo.

Bianca's heart hurt as she remembered the moment the picture had captured. Greenlee had been by to visit briefly and took the picture of the young family in front of their home. _In front of this home… _It had been such a great day… Bianca, Maggie, and Miranda… She shook her head and returned the photo to the little boy and realized… _Mom? Maggie has a kid? _"I'm sorry, we haven't met. My name is Bianca and this is Gabrielle."

If Leo's smile could get any bigger, it would have. He loved to meet new people! "Hi! My name is Leopold James Francis Stone." He giggled, "I know it's a mouthful! My friend's call me Leo." He extended his hand to the nice woman.

Bianca smiled as she shook the small boy's hand. He looked just like Maggie, sandy-colored hair, slight smirk, shining brown eyes and all. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Leo. You are quite the gentleman. How old are you?"

Before Leo could answer, they all heard Maggie scream Bianca's name and it made the younger woman quickly turn her head to the stairs and run after the sound. The young children looked at each other confused and then followed their parents up the stairs.

"Oh God… Miranda…" Maggie continued to mutter Miranda's name as she dropped to her knees on the floor of the child's bedroom. Picking up a piece of the shattered glass that lay across the floor, the tiny brunette sobbed as she grabbed her chest where her heart should be… unfortunately, said heart was in pieces on the floor with all that glass. She had dealt with not being able to see or talk to Miranda over the years, but the thought of the beautiful little girl being gone again made Maggie's heart shatter and her stomach churn.

Bianca followed the sound of sobbing and past the point of annoyed, Bianca stomped through the hall toward her daughter's bedroom. "Maggie! What the hell is going on? You just barge in here and…" Bianca couldn't finish her thought as she stopped in the doorway and saw the broken window. "Miranda?" Her oldest daughter was nowhere in sight. She began to realize the heaviness of the situation as she took in the glass, the blood, the crying woman on her knees with that terrified look in her eyes… Bianca collapsed to the floor.

Pulled out of her shock by the tiny scream behind her, Maggie quickly whipped her head around and saw a little girl with her hand over her mouth and tears streaming from her eyes. She then noticed Bianca had fainted and checking for injuries, she heard her son trying to calm the little girl down.

"It's okay Gabrielle, my mom's a doctor."

Smiling slightly, Maggie gestured for the two children to come closer. She pulled them both into a tight embrace and kissed both of their foreheads. Reaching in her back pocket for her cell phone, Maggie spoke to Leo, "Call your father and tell him we're at the house in Passy. He'll know what you're talking about. And tell him to get the police over here too." She watched as Leo nodded and walked to a corner to call his father. "Don't worry Gabrielle; I'm an old friend of your mother's… My name is Maggie and she'll wake up in no time." The little girl nodded, held her mother's hand, and hugged Maggie just a little tighter.

* * *

Once Leo had returned her cell phone, Maggie thought for a moment. _I don't even know who's in her life anymore… I could call Kendall, but I don't know her number… Oh!_ Maggie quickly dialed her friend's number.

The line picked up and a voice filled with sleep and confusion answered, "Maggie?" The woman on the end of the line noticed the time, "Damn girl, I know you've been in Paris a while, but you do remember the time difference right? It's one in the morning here…"

Maggie sighed, "Greens…"

Greenlee gasped as she quickly sat up in bed, "Wait! Is everything okay?"

Even though the woman on the other end of the call couldn't see her, Maggie shook her head, "No, nothing is okay. Greens, I need Kendall's number."

"Who is it?" The woman in Greenlee's bed quirked her brow as her partner tried to get her to be quiet.

_Well this is not how I planned on telling her… _Greenlee pinched the bridge of her nose at Maggie's shocked intake of breath, "Um, she's right here, Mags…"

Realization dawned on Kendall's face and she gave the shorter woman an apologetic smile as she took the phone. "Well, long time no talk Magster…"

If it had been any other circumstance, Maggie would have laughed at the absurdity of the two women back in Pine Valley tiptoeing around the fact they were sleeping together. She spoke hurriedly into the phone as she tried to wake her ex-lover, "Kendall, hi, I need you and Greenlee to get to Bianca's like yesterday."

The curly-haired woman shot out of bed and started to get dressed, "What? Why?"

Maggie sighed and closed her eyes as tears began to slide down her cheeks again. Her voice shook as she tried to answer Kendall's questions, "This morning… I… I was walking and something happened… It felt like my h-heart was ripped out of my chest." Maggie pleaded, "Kendall, I got here as fast as I could!"

Having gotten dressed at Kendall's insistence, Greenlee watched as her partner suddenly stopped throwing clothes into her suitcase. "Kendall?"

"Maggie… Calm down! I don't care how you've come back into my sister's life right now. Just tell me what the hell is wrong!"

Maggie noticed Bianca stirring and decided she needed to get off the phone as soon as possible. "Kendall… Miranda's gone. The window is broken and there's blood… I… I think she's been kidnapped."

Kendall's grip on the phone tightened and Greenlee noticed her knuckles starting to turn white. She heard Kendall respond in a deathly calm voice, "Where's my sister?"

"She fainted. Please, just hurry. I'm not leaving, but I don't think she's going to want me here… not after everything. She needs you Kendall, please."

"I'm calling the airport right now. We'll be there in eight hours." Kendall hung up the phone and looked at Greenlee with pleading eyes. "Will you call Ryan and Zach? Let them know we have to leave for Paris immediately and we can either take Spike and Ian with us, or they need to get here ASAP and pick the kids up." At Greenlee's nod, Kendall proceeded to call the airport and finished her last minute preparations.

* * *

"Maggie? What are you doing here?" Bianca asked in confusion as she noticed the older woman sitting on the floor with two children in her arms.

The tiny brunette looked into the most beautiful brown eyes she had ever seen and whispered distraughtly, "Oh Bianca…" Maggie let Gabrielle and Leo get up from her lap. They ran downstairs as the doorbell rang. Standing, Maggie yelled down the hall, "Leo! Don't you dare answer that door! I'll be there in a minute!"

Bianca took the hand that Maggie offered and was gently helped to a standing position. She briefly looked around the room and shut her eyes as she remembered, "Oh God… it was real…"

Maggie pulled Bianca into a tight embrace and murmured in her ear, "Stay with me, B. It's going to be okay. We're going to find her… That should be the police at the door now. Come on…" Maggie was surprised when her old friend did not let go of her hand, so she held on just a little bit tighter as they walked down the stairs and to the front door.

Bianca sat down on the couch as Maggie opened the door to their visitors. _How could this happen? My little girl…_

"Dad!" Leo yelled as he ran up behind his mother. His father picked him up exuberantly in his arms and gave Maggie an apprehensive look. Noticing Bianca staring, he lowered his head and whispered in Maggie's ear, "You haven't told her yet have you?"

Maggie rolled her eyes and hissed, "Well I really haven't had the time, what with Miranda getting kidnapped and all!" She sighed at the apologetic nod she received from the younger man. "How long 'til the cops get here?"

Bianca finally gathered her voice and croaked confused, "Jamie?"

The young doctor at the door held his son closer to his chest as he turned to face Bianca. He waved half-heartedly and gently spoke, "Um, hey Bianca…"

Maggie checked outside and, seeing no police in the vicinity, shut the door. _Where the hell are they? God, Paris emergency response time SUCKS!_ She wiped her hands on her slacks in an effort to calm her nerves and her anger. Turning to her favorite people in the whole world, Maggie watched as Gabrielle clung to her mother. "Hey Leo, why don't you and Gabrielle finish breakfast? Give the big kids a chance to talk…" She smirked as her son laughed and hopped out of his father's arms, gently pulling the little girl with him to the table. _Man, I love that sound. _

Maggie watched Bianca's eyes follow her youngest daughter, concern etched in all of her features. She was shocked when the taller brunette shrugged Jamie's hand from her shoulder and quickly stood. _Oh no… Panicked Bianca is not good… _"Bianca…" Maggie rushed to her friend's side and held her by the shoulders, trying to keep her still while looking deep into her eyes. "You running around out there won't help Miranda. She needs you here. And Gabrielle needs you here too." Feeling the younger woman's shoulders relax, Maggie continued, "Bianca, freaking out right now won't be good for any of you… Okay?" The tiny brunette sighed as she got a slight nod from her friend. With a quick look at the clock and a nod from Jamie, Maggie gently spoke again, "Okay. The police will be here any minute and Kendall and Greenlee are on their way. They should be here in about eight hours. And hey, we're not going anywhere. Okay?"

Bianca nodded as her ex-lover let go of her shoulders. Sighing, Bianca searched Maggie's eyes, "When did you become the rational one?"

A tear escaped Maggie's eye once again and she looked down. "I guess when I lost everything that meant something to me." She wiped away the quickly falling tears and excused herself, "I'm going to wait outside for the police." The older woman gently shut the door behind her and slid to the ground. _This can't be happening._


	2. Chapter 2

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:** For Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

* * *

**Part 2:**

Watching the front door close, Bianca frowned as she turned toward a man she hadn't seen since he had left for work in Africa. _Had he known then that he had a son? Why didn't he say anything? _"I need to call Cambias Security…" Looking for the phone, Bianca felt Jamie's hand cover her own.

"Maggie already called them." Noticing Bianca's skeptical look, Jamie continued, "While you were passed out… They should be here any minute too."

Bianca sat back down on the couch, "Well, I guess it's a good thing I never got around to removing her from the access lists." She gave Jamie a small smile that didn't quite meet her eyes as he sat down beside her. He still had not let go of her hand, but she was actually glad he was there. "Jamie, why didn't you tell me you and Maggie had a son? I thought we were pretty close when you left…"

Jamie looked away from Bianca's scrutinizing gaze, "Well, I didn't know about him at the time…" He sighed and turned back to his friend, "I had been visiting Maggie in Paris and was there the night you finally stole all of her hope and…" He held up his hand to stop Bianca from responding, "I'm sorry, I don't mean it in any judgmental way, especially right now. I'm just telling you the truth of what happened." Bianca nodded and the young man continued, "The light went out of Maggie's eyes that night and… and I just wanted to take the pain away." Jamie smiled. "On the surface it would look like that little boy was only conceived out of sadness, but Bianca he was conceived out of so much love too... Maggie's love for you and Miranda, our love we had for each other, the need to be loved…" He sighed again, "I do love her Bianca, even if she is still in love with you and always will be. We're just best friends who live and raise their kid together and that's cool with me. I just want to be here for her, take care of her, make sure she's loved and know that she's loved…"

Bianca felt sick to her stomach at the way her day had turned out. _And it's still only morning! Where are the people that are going to help me find my daughter?" _She sighed._ At least this is a… distraction. _"So when did you find out?"

"Aiden came looking for me in the jungle when Leo was three. He was in the hospital and Maggie wasn't a match." Looking at his son, tears filled Jamie's eyes. "I was mad as hell when I found out Maggie hadn't told me. I would never have left for Africa, but that's why she did it… She said she didn't want me to give up my dreams for one night of compassion for a friend. Still, having lost all that time with my son Bianca, and then I was about to lose him before I even got a chance to tell him I loved him!" Jamie hissed and shook his head, "Anyways, the bone marrow transplant was three years ago and we've been together ever since." He frowned, "Leo's leukemia was in remission, but the news wasn't so good at his last check-up. Maggie's been a wreck and to tell you the truth, so have I. He's my pride and joy Bianca and I can't imagine my life without him in it… So if Aiden can find me in the most remote of jungles in Africa, we're going to find Miranda." He wiped his eyes and continued firmly, "You know Maggie won't stand for anything less. She's loved that little girl like she was her own ever since you guys saw her at your first sonogram. And she sure as hell isn't going to let her disappear again." Jamie quickly stood as he heard the sirens in the distance.

* * *

Maggie wiped her eyes as she held the cell phone to her ear. _Come on, please answer…_

"Maggie! Hey, how's it going?" The happy British accent greeted.

"Hi Aiden… Not so great."

The man on the other end of the line sat up straighter and quieted his guests. "Maggie, what's wrong?"

"Long story short, Miranda's missing. Broken window, blood, I think she's been kidnapped."

"Oh my God… Maggie… What can I do?" Aiden placed one hand on his cousin's knee and held the other out to his aunt to stop her from taking the phone. _Women…_

"Just, could you, I don't know… Do your thing? Maybe bring Anna in on this too? We need to keep it on the DL though." Maggie sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Aiden…"

"I know Mags. Anna and Robin are visiting London right now, so we can get working on this as soon as I hang up. Robin and Emma can catch the ferry in Dover and be in Paris by five."

Maggie mumbled, "No that's okay…"

Aiden watched Robin stand from the couch and start to gather her things, "No Maggie, you need family there. Besides, who's going to keep Leo occupied and keep you sane when you try to take care of Bianca while you're dying inside?" Hearing the sound of the sirens through the phone, Aiden spoke again, "Mags, call me when you get any information and I'll call you when we get something here. Talk to you soon."

Maggie hung up and stood. The police officers and members of Cambias security disembarked from their vehicles. _Finally…_ The tiny brunette curtly greeted the gentlemen and led them into Bianca's house. She huffed as the head of Cambias security glared at her. "After you…"

* * *

After Bianca had explained the events of the morning, the police moved to Miranda's bedroom and began their investigation. Suspicious of the sudden involvement of their boss' former lover, the head of Cambias security rested his hand on his gun as he turned to the tiny woman. This movement did not go unnoticed by the group of people in the room, but the guard spoke before Bianca could protest. Venom laced his words as he took a step closer to the woman in question, "Ms. Stone... How did you know what happened here this morning?"

Maggie looked to Bianca for help but saw that the woman was curious of the answer to that question as well. She sighed, "I had a feeling that something was wrong."

"A feeling?" The guard asked incredulously.

Maggie was quickly losing her patience and spoke through clenched teeth, "Yes, a feeling. It felt like my heart had been torn from my chest. I couldn't breathe. And I knew that it was Miranda…"

Bianca timidly spoke this time, "How?"

Looking sadly into the taller woman's eyes, Maggie's face softened slightly, "I've only ever had that feeling when something has happened to my kids, and my son was holding my hand." Unable to look at Bianca any longer, Maggie turned back to the head of Cambias security and continued, "Anyways, that's when I ran here and found Miranda's bedroom in its current state. I had Leo call Jamie to get over here and call the police. I called Bianca's sister because I knew she would need the support. And then I called you guys."

The guard furrowed his brow, "Why didn't you call the police or us first? We could have been here sooner."

Maggie shook her head and raised her voice, "No. You wouldn't have gotten here any faster and my number one priority was making sure Bianca wasn't hurt after she fainted. While I was tending to her needs, my son called his father who in turn called the police. It was the best thing for us to do…" Maggie quieted as she stepped closer to the older man. She spoke with a calm disdain, "Because her youngest daughter was standing there… just… God, do you have no heart? As a matter of fact, you were the last thing on my mind. Deal with it."

_I've been so horrible to Maggie over the years, how can she just hop right back into her role as my protector, as my family's protector? She's never even met Gabrielle and she took care of her as if she were her own child. She called a woman who was a complete bitch to her the last time they spoke just because she knew I would need my sister. She thought to call Cambias security… though I don't know how much good that is doing at the moment. And the police… God, I just shut down! She felt something was wrong and acted on it, and then she took control when I couldn't... _

The guard spoke again interrupting Bianca's thoughts, "I still think you're involved." He pulled his gun from its holster and pointed it at the tiny woman.

"Hey!" Bianca and Jamie both yelled as they quickly stood from the couch.

Maggie threw her hands up in the air in exasperation, "Oh, this is just great!" Her voice now dripped with sarcasm as it rose in volume, "Yeah, I had my daughter – that I haven't seen in seven years granted – kidnapped? Are you out of your fucking mind? What would I gain from that? I'd hurt the only woman I've ever loved with my whole soul, to what? To see a little girl that wouldn't know me from some random person on the street? Yeah, okay, that makes so much sense since I would just love to have the fact that I missed out on seven years of her life rubbed in my face! That she probably wouldn't know me because I haven't seen her since she was THREE… God, you guys are idiots!" Maggie pushed the guard away. "I need some air." She glared at the other guards in the room. "You'll do well to not follow."

As Maggie threw open the front door, Bianca spoke to her security team through clenched teeth as she seethed with anger, "Stand down. And Stewart, you have three seconds to put that damn gun away or you're fired. I'm sure Pierre would love a promotion." The head of Cambias security put the gun away and stalked off toward Miranda's bedroom to get status from the police.

Leo tugged on his father's shirt and when he finally got Jamie's attention, he asked timidly, "Dad? Is what Mama said true?"

Jamie lifted the little boy in his arms and sat back down on the couch. "About what?"

"Do I have a sister?"

Jamie nodded, "Yes, her name is Miranda and she's ten years old."

Leo's eyes shined with excitement, "You mean Gabby's sister is my sister?"

Jamie nodded again as he watched Bianca pull her youngest daughter into her arms.

"So…" Leo turned his head to look at the young girl he had been playing with all morning. He smiled, "Does that mean Gabrielle is my sister too?" Panicking, Jamie looked questioningly at Bianca.

Bianca's eyes shone with unshed tears and she smiled as she grasped the little boy's hand. "Yes, that means Gabrielle is your sister too. I'm sorry you're just now getting to meet her…"

Leo's eyes lit up as he hugged Gabrielle and her mother, "That's okay!" He let go suddenly and looked up at the tall woman, "But, if you're their mom… and they're my sisters… then… who are you? Are you my mom too?"

Jamie shifted uncomfortably. _This is just perfect. Leo just finds out about his mother's past and she's outside. I don't know how to answer these questions!_

_Yes Bianca, who are you to this little boy? _Bianca held out her hand to the young boy as the tears silently fell from her eyes. "Maggie's your mom sweetheart. I'm just an old friend of your mother and father's. I'd like to be your friend too, is that alright with you?"

Leo smiled and nodded his response.

Overcome with emotion, thinking of a past never forgotten and a future that never came, Bianca closed her eyes as the small boy gave her a hug.

Wise beyond his years, Leo stood tiptoed and whispered in his new friend's ear, "Don't cry, Miss Bianca."


	3. Chapter 3

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

* * *

**Part 3:**

It had been a couple of hours since the police had arrived and Jamie was getting concerned. He was never good at just sitting around and waiting… Neither was Maggie… _Shit! Maggie…_ Alarmed, Jamie sat up as quickly as he could without jostling Bianca. Once Leo and Gabrielle, who was now calling him Uncle Jamie to his delight, had moved on to play, his ivory-skinned friend had fallen into his arms and finally broke down. She had eventually cried herself to sleep as he rubbed her back. Not wanting to alarm the kids in the other room, the young man pulled out his cell phone and dialed his best friend.

"Why are you calling me?" The voice on the other end of the line asked in confusion.

Whispering, Jamie responded, "Mags, where are you?"

Maggie rolled her eyes as she leaned against the house. "Duh, I'm outside…"

"Have you been there the whole time?"

"Yes James, what is this about?"

Jamie sighed in relief and relaxed back into the couch. "I was just thinking about how you and I don't like to just sit around and wait and I…"

Maggie smiled as she interrupted, "And you thought I took off… Jamie, Paris is a whole hell of a lot bigger than Pine Valley. I haven't gone anywhere except around the back of the house. I've been listening to the police and talking to Aiden."

"Oh okay… wait, what? You've been talking to Aiden?"

"Whoa, down boy! Jealous much?" Maggie laughed for the first time that day at imagining the look on her friend's face. "Seriously though, yes, I was talking to Aiden – giving him the bits of information I could gather from my eavesdropping. I asked him to look into everything."

Jamie frowned, "I thought Paris was bigger than Pine Valley?"

"Jamie, Aiden's not your normal small town PI and you know that… besides, Anna is working with him too. Oh! I forgot to tell you, Robin and Emma should be here in a few hours – for support."

The frown faded from Jamie's face, "That's really good."

Maggie brushed some stray strands of hair from her face and cleared her throat, "Um, so…"

"Bianca's asleep and the kids are sitting at the kitchen table coloring." Jamie responded to her unanswered question and continued in a more serious tone, "You shouldn't have walked away, Mags."

Maggie looked to the sky and tried to blink away another onslaught of tears. _Seriously, I've cried enough already! How can I still have any tears left?_

Jamie's heart filled with intense love as he watched his son lean close to talk with Gabrielle. _Leo's new sister… Well, at least they like each other. Hell, THAT could have gone so much worse…_ "Mags, Leo asked if what you said was true."

Maggie nearly dropped the phone and stuttered, "W-What?" _Oh God, what did I say?_

"Yeah, he asked if it was true that he had a sister."

Maggie pinched the bridge of her nose and spoke through her exhaled breath, "And what did you say?"

The young man shook his head in exasperation at his friend's fear, "I told him the truth, Maggie. And you know what? He took it really well. He wasn't mad at all. He was thrilled actually."

Relieved, Maggie replied, "That's not how I wanted to tell him…"

"I know Mags, but were you EVER going to tell him?" Hearing the silence on the line, Jamie sighed, "I know. That was a low blow. Anyways, he didn't stop asking questions there. He then asked if Gabrielle was his sister since Miranda was…"

"Oh…"

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly, but thankfully Bianca was there… it was so great Mags. Without hesitation she just answered that she was and then she apologized for him having just met her… Mags, it was like Leo was jumping for joy." His smile widened as he snuck another peak at his son and laughed, "He gave both of them a huge hug and I thought he was going to hold on forever!"

Maggie smiled and was unable to hold back the tears any longer. Her dream of her son meeting his other family was happening… even if it was because of tragedy. And at least he'd get to know a few more people that she hoped would love him just as much as she did. She took a deep breath and covered her eyes with her spare hand. _Six years old and he's got to go through chemo again, probably another transplant… God I can't do this…_

"Anyways, you know what he asked then?" Jamie continued without waiting for a response, "He looked straight into Bianca's eyes and asked if that made her his mom too." He heard the sharp intake of breath over the line and continued, "Yeah, and Bianca looked like she was about to burst into tears. You know, you two need to get over it and just sit down and talk. But I digress… So without missing a beat, she said that you were his mom but that she'd like to be his friend."

Tears filled Bianca's eyes as she listened to Jamie's side of the conversation on the phone. He had awakened her unknowingly when he had sat up quickly before. _I'd like to be his mom though… Jamie's right, Maggie and I need to talk._

"So then, Leo did the sweetest thing. He gave Bianca a hug and whispered something in her ear and I thought to myself how he always does that…" Jamie thought of his son's most recent doctor's appointment. "How he always just makes everything better, he knows just what to say, what to do… He never thinks of himself, always everyone else, no matter what's going on with him, no matter how bad he feels…" Jamie trailed off as a knot formed in his throat and he could no longer speak. He gently moved Bianca from leaning against him and quickly walked down the hall.

Confused, Bianca followed her friend and saw that he had gone out the back door. She placed her hand over her mouth when she saw Jamie and Maggie hug each other as they fell to the ground completely consumed in their grief, sobbing. Turning away from the door to give them some privacy, Bianca walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table with her youngest daughter and her beautiful, courageous, happy little brother. _I can't believe this… So much is happening… _Her heart hurt as she drifted from thoughts of Miranda to thoughts of Leo.

* * *

After being in the air for several hours, Greenlee stood and stretched. She checked on the two boys asleep in their chairs. _I can't believe those bastards wouldn't watch their kids. 'Well how long will you be gone?' 'What's going on?' If I had known the answers to those questions, I would have told them! At least Spike and Ian are looking forward to the trip… and getting away from school I'm sure._

Kendall closed the bathroom door and watched Greenlee check on her boys. _I'll never get tired of seeing her do that._ Walking up behind the shorter woman, Kendall slid her arms around Greenlee's waist. She rested her head on her partner's shoulder and smiled, "So what are you smirking about?"

Greenlee turned her head and smiled, "Just thinking about how they didn't throw a fit about having to come to Paris. They're probably just glad to not have to go to school in the morning!" She laughed and Kendall followed suit. Turning in the taller woman's arms, Greenlee captured her lover's lips with her own. Once parted, she looked deeply into those eyes that melted her heart and whispered, "I love you, Kendall."

The curly-haired beauty leaned her forehead against the shorter woman and whispered in response, "I love you too, Greenlee." She sighed as the weight of their trip hit her once again and she asked desperately, "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to be there for Bianca – no matter what happens."

Kendall pulled away from her partner and began to pace. "That's just not good enough. We have to DO something." She quickly pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed a number she hadn't in a very long time.

Confused, Greenlee sat back in her chair as Kendall finally stopped pacing and joined her. "Who are you calling?" She rolled her eyes at the index finger that entered her field of vision. She continued sarcastically, "Oh yes, I'll wait."

The other end of the line picked up after half a ring, "Kendall?"

Relieved, Bianca's sister let out the breath she had been holding. "Oh Aiden, thank God you picked up."

Anna pulled the laptop from Aiden's grasp and continued the search he had been conducting. Shaking her head at her nephew and smiling slightly, she knew this was going to be an interesting phone call. _You can leave Pine Valley, but Pine Valley never leaves you…_

The British man spoke again, "This is about Miranda right?"

Stunned, Kendall frowned suspiciously and hesitated before responding, "How did you know that?"

_Same old Kendall… _Aiden shook his head. _I guess things never change. _"Maggie already called me. Anna and I are looking into it. We'll find her, Kendall."

The frown disappeared and a smile replaced it as Kendall took in his words. _Maggie called Aiden… Maggie called me… I know she thinks Binks doesn't want her there and is going to leave when we get there, but she shouldn't have to… Miranda is as much her daughter as my boys are Greenlee's! Regardless of what Bianca wants, I won't let Maggie leave… not now, not ever again… those two are soul mates and shouldn't be apart any longer. _"Oh okay, well thank you Aiden. And please thank Anna too." _Well, at the very least, Binks needs to let the Magster start seeing her daughter. I'll have to talk to her once this is all over._ "Your help means everything to all of us."

"We will always help our friends, Kendall." Aiden smiled slightly as old memories surfaced and then faded as quickly as they had appeared. "I just have one favor to ask…"

Kendall responded quickly, "Anything."

Aiden braced himself for the wrath he knew would come after he made his request. "Please go easy on Maggie. She's dying inside and I'm afraid if one more person attacks her…" He sighed, "Well, she's had a lot going on before this thing with Miranda happened and…"

Kendall frowned sadly and spoke softly, "I'm not going to break her, Aiden."

"Thank you."

"Much to everyone's surprise, I actually do like Maggie. I guess that's why I got so mad at her." Kendall shook the memories from her head and asked, "Care to enlighten me on what we're going to find when we land?"

Aiden looked questioningly at his aunt. Seeing her nod, he sighed, "Yeah, I guess I should probably give you a quick rundown of the players and what's happened so far… Well, first of all, Maggie has a son and the father is Jamie Martin." Aiden continued as he heard the shocked gasp, "And before you get upset, Maggie and Jamie are not a couple. They're just best friends who happened to have a night that turned into something more. Their son's name is Leo and he's six years old." Aiden sighed as a knot started to form in his throat and he spoke with emotion that he failed to hide from the woman on the phone, "Unfortunately for all of us, Leo's been really sick and his doc thinks his leukemia is back and as you can imagine, Maggie's been barely holding it together... and then Miranda… and… Well, I just ask you to give her a break, okay?"

Still slightly in shock, Kendall replied, "Like I said before, I'm not mad at anyone. I'll leave my inner Kane at the door." They all smiled at that remark. "Now tell me how this all went down today." She shared the phone with Greenlee as they listened intently to Aiden's retelling of events.

* * *

Bianca was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of her daughter's voice. "What honey?"

Gabrielle frowned in confusion, "Can we have some juice?"

"Yes, of course." Bianca smiled as she watched her daughter whisper something in her brother's ear. _Those two are already thick as thieves… _The young woman walked to the refrigerator and pulled out the bottle of orange juice. She was quickly ported to another time as she heard Miranda ask the same question… Bianca shook the memory from her head. _And Mimo and Maggie were thick as thieves then too…_ As she poured the juice into three glasses, Bianca continued to think. _Oh God, what have I done? I should never have kept Miranda from Maggie! And now… _Bianca vehemently shook her head. _No! Don't think like that! Your baby girl has been through so much already, she'll be back home soon! _Bianca put up the juice and then placed the glasses on the table.

"Thanks Mom!" Gabrielle smiled as she took a big gulp and turned to Leo. "Orange juice is my favorite!"

Leo's eyes brightened as he looked at his new sister, "It's my favorite too!" They both giggled and scooted their chairs closer together so they could both reach the crayons instead of having to pass them back and forth.

Before sitting back down at the table, Bianca walked to the storage bin beside the front door and pulled out a shoebox. Inside was a variety of objects, but the one she searched for was a small frame which held the photo Leo had shown her earlier. Bianca replaced everything else inside the storage bin and brought the frame with her as she sat back down at the table. Staring at the happy family the photo had captured in that moment, the young woman couldn't remember how things had gotten so wrong for them. _Yes you do remember - you just don't want to… _Bianca sighed as she continued to study the photograph.

_We've had such a hard time… We spent so long dodging our feelings... I spoke up, you weren't ready, you spoke up, I was with someone, I spoke up, you were with someone… Are we or aren't we? Should we or shouldn't we? So many times we weren't on the same page… and that last time we weren't even in the same book! _Bianca remembered Maggie's visit to Pine Valley. I _left with no warning and I just took your family away from you… I didn't even give you a chance to explain and now I still don't know what happened or why you did it! _

Bianca placed the frame on the table and rubbed her eyes in an effort to stop the tears that had formed. _It's just – I just – We're just spinning our wheels so much that it's hard to turn back. Can we ever get back to us again? _Thinking back to what Jamie had told her about Leo and then to the emotional moment she had witnessed in the backyard. _I want to be the one to hold you when the tears run down your face… I want to hold your hand and tell you that everything's going to be alright, that you're stronger than you think, that in the short time that I've known your son I've seen that he's such a special boy. _Bianca's thoughts were interrupted once again.

"Miss Montgomery, we've got everything we need." The lead police officer said as the rest of his team filed out of the house. "We're keeping Officer Benet here as a liaison with your security detail."

"And we're sending Martin with the police." The head of Cambias security interrupted.

The police officer nodded. "Yes, that's right. We've already started to analyze the information and evidence we've gathered, but we both agree that you'll be getting a ransom call soon. All evidence points to inexperienced kidnappers, so Miranda will be fine – they just want money."

Bianca quickly stood and pleaded, "Well whatever they want, they can have! I just want my daughter back!"

The officer nodded and smiled sadly, "We are going to need you to stay here for the call. We'll let you know as soon as we find out anything else. Good day, Miss Montgomery."

_Good day… What is this guy smoking? _Bianca nodded at the officer and most of her security team as they left the house in search of her daughter.

* * *

Looking at his watch, Jamie couldn't believe an hour had passed since he pulled Maggie into his lap and held her while they both cried. Maggie turned her head away from Jamie and wiped her eyes. Sniffling, the tiny brunette interrupted their moment of sadness, "Jamie, we're losing our focus. This isn't about us or about Leo… this is about finding Bianca's little girl."

"She's your little girl too, Mags." Jamie responded as he too wiped his eyes.

Maggie shook her head, "No James. Regardless of how I feel about Miranda, she'll never be my little girl… Bianca made that perfectly clear the last time we spoke in Pine Valley. She said she was glad that she didn't have me sign the adoption papers yet." The brunette covered her mouth to muffle a sob as she looked sadly at her best friend. "James, I don't know how many more times my heart can break before… before…"

Jamie pulled his friend into a hug once again and exclaimed, "Don't ever think like that! I won't let that happen… You're a lot stronger than you think and honey, it's been a long time and I think Bianca might surprise you this time."

Maggie shook her head against the younger man's chest and replied sardonically, "She surprised me THAT time too… No, when Kendall and Greenlee get here, I'm going to wait for Robin outside and the five of us are going to go home. No matter how much I want to be here, and how much I love that family, I shouldn't interfere. I'll let Kendall know about Aiden and then I'll leave and I'll… I'll…" She sobbed again, "I'll try to put this all behind me again."

Lifting his best friend's chin so he could look into her eyes, Jamie quirked his brow as he tilted his head and replied, "That didn't work out so good the last time… What makes you think it will work this time, Mags?"

Maggie closed her eyes in thanks as she heard her cell phone ring in her hand. _Saved by the bell… _Upon seeing who was calling, she immediately answered the call. "Tell me you've got something." Seeing the confused expression on Jamie's face, she mouthed Aiden's name and returned to the call.

"Do you want the good news or bad news first?" Aiden decided it best to get to the point.

Eyes widening in surprise at her cousin's quick response, Maggie put the call on speaker and replied, "Give us the good news first."

"Maggie, I don't think it's wise to have Bianca there when I tell you this…"

"Bianca's inside with the kids. It's just me and Jamie out here right now."

"Oh, alright… well, good news is that we've got a huge lead." Aiden sighed briefly and continued, "The bad news is… that…"

"Just give it up Aiden!" Jamie exclaimed impatiently.

The British man blew the air from his lungs and spoke quietly, "So far, all signs point to Bianca's wife being involved…"

Maggie gasped, "Oh my God…"

"We've followed a few leads that have led us to this conclusion… Maggie, you've got to get Cambias security out of that house."

Maggie quickly stood and began to pace. "What?"

Knowing his aunt could handle the young woman better, Aiden handed the phone to Anna. The British woman spoke calmly, "Maggie, we were thinking this had to do with money, so we decided to start the search by tracking all bank transactions of everyone that has had contact with Bianca in the last five years, starting of course with the people at Cambias… We found quite a few suspicious transactions involving the bank account of a Stewart Smithson, the head of Cambias security. The transactions originated from a dummy account, but we were able to trace it with the help of some of our contacts… the account was opened by one Reese Williams."

Maggie stopped pacing and ran her hand through her hair while clenching her teeth, "That bastard that pulled his gun on me is involved… and Bianca's wife… Why would she… How could she do this? Come to think of it, we haven't seen her and I didn't see Bianca call her either, did you?" Maggie asked as she turned to Jamie. Seeing her best friend shake his head, Maggie growled, "I'll kill the bitch."

Anna smirked at the young woman that was so much like a daughter to her, "Now Maggie, let us handle this. That huge lead we said was good news? Since finding out who was involved on the inside and who was pulling the strings, we've been picking apart their lives. Aiden's contact is tailing Stewart – he wouldn't have been the one to do the actual kidnapping, so we're hoping to get a lead from him. We've also got some other contacts that are checking out Reese's holdings in Paris and here in London. Maybe you can talk to Bianca and see what her wife has been up to lately?"

Maggie looked at Jamie, both still in shock at the new information, and responded numbly, "Yeah, Anna, we'll talk to her."

"Good… we'll call when we find out anything else." Anna hung up the phone and looked toward her nephew, "What a mess…"

Aiden quirked his brow at his aunt and replied, "You're telling me? I thought we were done with this insanity when we left the states."

"I still don't get the motive… Why would Reese only take Miranda?" Anna said trailing off.


	4. Chapter 4

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 4:**

Maggie looked at her watch… _three o'clock…_She sighed heavily and looked at the father of her child. "I guess I should get this over with… this confrontation was bound to happen eventually…" The tiny brunette pinched the bridge of her nose, "I'm getting a headache. I am so sick of this drama – it's like one thing after another with us lately."

Jamie placed a comforting hand on his best friend's shoulder and spoke, "I don't know what to say… All I know is that we're going to get through this, Mags. We have to."

Shaking her head, Maggie took a deep breath and then released it loudly. "Will you ask Bianca to come talk to me out here? Best to be further from the kids for this…" At Jamie's nod, the older woman walked to the bench underneath the tree in the middle of the yard. She smiled sadly. _The first tree I planted here… it seems like a lifetime ago._ Maggie ran her fingers through her hair and draped her left arm across the back of the bench. _What the hell am I going to say to her? Do I apologize again for what happened? Or do I just bring up the whole Reese thing? God, I can't believe that bitch… and Bianca forgave her but couldn't forgive me! What the hell? Aargh! I hate this. _Maggie rubbed her forehead. _Okay, don't talk about the past… just ask her when Reese is getting home and go from there. It'll be fine. It will. The last thing we need right now is to get into a fight._ Maggie sighed as she continued to think. _Alright, so you're not bringing up the past, but what if she does? Oh God, I'm not prepared for this…_

Walking into the kitchen, Jamie noticed the photo Bianca still held in her hands and smiled. _Maybe there's hope after all._ He walked over to his son and messed up his already scruffy hair.

"Dad…" Leo whined and then looked up at his father and smiled.

Jamie knelt beside the young boy and asked, "How you been feeling kiddo?" Concern furrowed his brow, "You look a little pale."

Bianca looked up from the photograph and watched the exchange with concern etched on her face and in her eyes. She didn't want Leo to feel unwell, but she also didn't want Maggie to have to leave yet.

Leo shrugged, "I'm okay… tired." He looked down and rubbed his elbow. "I'm starting to get bruises again…"

Jamie closed his eyes and took a deep and calming breath. _Why get angry? There's nothing you can do about the disease… _He gently lifted his son's arm and inspected the bruise, "What happened buddy?"

Sad brown eyes looked up, "I dropped a crayon." Leo shrugged. "I reached down to pick it up and grazed the back of the chair."

_Great, the bruises are coming easier now… The doctor was right. I bet he's hiding his pain. _Jamie rubbed his son's back, "Come on, Leo, I think you need to lay down and get some rest."

Vigorously shaking his head, Leo exclaimed, "No, I want to keep playing with Gabby!" He looked up into his father's eyes and begged, "Please…"

Jamie looked over at Bianca and shook his head, chuckling, "I can never say no to him when he gives me that look!" At his friend's smile, Jamie turned back to Leo and pointed at his own eye, "Alright, but I'll be watching you."

Gabrielle giggled, "Thanks, Uncle Jamie!"

Jamie winked at the little girl and turned his attention to Bianca, "Maggie needs to talk to you."

Bianca was surprised. She thought Maggie was going to avoid her the whole time. _Well that's what she's been doing so far... I guess she wants to talk about those feelings she let slip earlier… _Bianca curled her hair behind her ear and nodded. _This conversation is long overdue._ She looked at the phone. _And it's not like anyone's calling with information on the search…_ "Where is she?"

"She's out back. I'll watch the munchkins." Jamie smiled as Bianca stood from her chair and left the kitchen.

"I've got a coloring book for you too, Uncle Jamie!" Gabrielle exclaimed as she hopped down from her chair and pulled on Jamie's arm so he would sit in Bianca's vacated chair.

Jamie smiled brightly at the children in front of him, but it soon faded as he thought of Miranda. _Why would Reese kidnap Miranda and leave Gabrielle? Hell, why would she even kidnap either one of them?_ Jamie opened the coloring book Gabrielle handed him and pulled the red crayon from the box. He stared at it for a moment and then shook his head. _Anna and Aiden will find Miranda._ He then looked at his son._ Leo's going to be just fine._ Jamie then picked up the photo of the once happy family._ Bianca and Maggie are going to work it out._ He rubbed his forehead and sighed heavily. _Then why am I having such a hard time believing what I say?_

Bianca stood at the back door watching the tanned beauty sitting on the bench. Sparing a glance at the tree her ex sat beneath, Bianca sighed. She and Maggie used to sit there underneath their first tree every evening in the beginning. _The beginning… _Bianca took a deep breath and then walked outside shutting the door behind her.

Startled at the noise, Maggie turned toward the door and her eyes quickly found those of the taller woman approaching. She nervously tapped her knees.

"Still do that huh?" Bianca tilted her head in the direction of Maggie's knees and smiled.

The older woman forced a nervous laugh and looked away, "Yeah."

Bianca frowned and sat delicately on the opposite side of the bench. She waited. Silence... and just when she was about to say something, Maggie turned back around and spoke.

"We need to talk, B."

"I know. I'm so sorry Maggie." The younger woman curled some hair behind her ear. "I wanted to… I just…" Bianca struggled to find the words she wanted to say, "I couldn't…"

Maggie shook her head and opened her mouth to speak, but Bianca placed a finger to her lips effectively shutting her up. _You are so weak… just one touch and you turn to mush! Snap out of it, Stone!_

"Regardless of our problems I should never have kept you from Miranda. It's obvious now the depth of your love-"

Maggie quickly stood interrupting her old friend, her voice low with anger, "It's obvious NOW?" She held her hand up to stop Bianca's reply. "Bianca, stop talking now before I say something I'll regret." She could see that her ex was confused but she didn't care. If she didn't stop herself right now, things were going to get extremely volatile. _And here I thought I was over all this anger and resentment! How does she do this to me? One minute I'm okay and the next I want to scream… _Shaking with anger, the tiny brunette turned away. "When's Reese getting home?"

Misinterpreting Maggie's response and the reason for the question, Bianca stood and placed her hand on the shorter woman's shoulder. "She's not."

Surprised, Maggie turned back around and looked into Bianca's eyes. She saw the hope she once had staring back at her. Blinking quickly to hold back the tears and the anger that she felt, Maggie replied, "Say again?"

"She's not getting home tonight, or tomorrow night or the next… We're getting a divorce, Maggie."

As if realization finally dawned, Maggie pulled away from Bianca while pulling her phone from her pocket. Ignoring the look of confusion quickly turning to a death glare a la Kane, she dialed Aiden's number.

"It's only been an hour Maggie. We're good but not that good." Aiden chuckled on the other end of the line.

"They're getting divorced." Maggie spoke in a rush.

Aiden straightened in his chair and also spoke hurriedly, "Who filed?"

"Who are you talking to?" Bianca tried to calmly ask, failing only slightly.

Maggie waved off her question. "Did you or Reese file, Bianca?"

"Who are you talking to?" Bianca demanded to know who Maggie felt the need to call in the middle of their talk.

Maggie exhaled exasperated, "It's Aiden. Please Bianca, it's important, you or Reese?"

"I don't see why it's any of your-"

"Bianca!" Maggie growled.

"I did!" Bianca exclaimed as she glared at the woman in front of her.

Aiden pulled the phone from his ear at Bianca's yelling. "I heard her Maggie." Aiden spoke quickly, "That helps a lot, now we have motive... We'll get back to you."

"Aiden, wait! Care to enlighten me on what you're thinking?"

"You already know, Maggie."

And with Aiden's last remark, the line went silent. "Damn it!" Maggie exclaimed as she stared blankly at the phone in her hand. "That's what I was afraid of…" Maggie mumbled.

Bianca grabbed the phone from the older woman's hand and glared at her, yelling, "What the hell is going on? What aren't you telling me?"

Maggie returned her old friend's glare and warned, "Bianca…I'm going to need you to calm down…"

Bianca huffed, "Fat chance of that happening now!"

Taking a deep breath, Maggie decided to just tell Bianca the truth, consequences be damned, "Reese is involved in Miranda's kidnapping."

Stunned to silence briefly, Bianca passionately shook her head and raised her voice slightly, "You're lying!"

_Seriously? _Maggie quirked her eyebrow and responded with disbelief at Bianca's reaction. "We have proof, Bianca."

"You're a liar!"

"I've only ever lied to you about one thing-"

"Yeah, Cecelia!"

"No, NOT Cecelia – YOU, Bianca!" _Great, here we go again… Calm down... Don't let her get to you… _Maggie shook her head and lowered her voice, "I only ever lied about my feelings for you."

Bianca waved her hand in the air dismissing Maggie, "Whatever! Reese would never have kidnapped Miranda!"

Maggie threw her hands up in the air and spoke heatedly, "And I would never have cheated on you, but you have no problem believing that I did!"

"We are not doing this again."

Maggie smirked and spoke, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "No? You don't want to reopen that old wound? Hey, you're the one who brought it up."

Bianca stared at Maggie in disbelief and crossed her arms over her chest, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Laughing sardonically, Maggie took a step closer to Bianca, "I don't even know who you are anymore." Maggie shook her head disapprovingly. "You dumped me for some dude pretending to be a woman AND you stayed in that Godforsaken town while there was a serial killer on the loose! Then you meet Reese and decide that after three months of being with that psycho bitch, you want to have a baby together – but that's not all, you wanted your sister's husband to be the father – and you didn't even ASK her!"

Bianca tried to interrupt but Maggie charged on, her anger having pushed her over the edge she had so desperately been trying to hang on to since she had arrived at the house that morning. "Oh and this just takes the cake… that bitch cheats on you with said brother-in-law and you don't even give a shit! Some woman you've known for a few months is worthy of your forgiveness, but me… nah, f**k Maggie, five plus years means nothing!"

"Maggie..."

"What? Truth hurts doesn't it?" Maggie exclaimed. "So I can see why you wouldn't believe me when I say that bitch is the kidnapper… why would you? It's not like you guys are fighting over custody, right?" Maggie noted sarcastically as she watched Bianca's expression change and her face pale. "Nah, she wouldn't stoop that low just to get what she wants… Please, I know you're not that insane! What better way to get back at you than to take the daughter you already lost before? Why take the kid she had with you, the one she actually has any claim to, when she could prey on your deepest fear by taking Miranda?"

"Maggie, STOP!"

"Oh I'm just getting started, B!" Maggie yelled as she stepped closer, shaking her head.

Jamie turned Radio Disney up a little louder. He shook his head disapprovingly as he tried to drown out the argument outside. _Maggie never curses this much… Don't they know we can hear them? Hell, the whole city can probably hear them! _Jamie looked at the door questioningly. _Was that a knock? Yep, that's a knock… great… I bet it's a neighbor who has finally gotten sick of this debacle. Why me? _Jamie thought as he walked to the door and opened it, bracing himself for who might be waiting on the other side. Two boys pushed past him and ran toward the kitchen. Jamie watched Leo's face light up at the new visitors as Gabrielle introduced them to him. _Spike and Ian I guess… _He turned back to the doorway and noticed that it was now empty. _Huh…_

"Right here, genius." Greenlee smirked at her friend as he turned around and shut the door behind him.

Jamie smiled brightly, "Ah, I should have known. You're the two sneakiest people in Pine Valley after all." Greenlee laughed as he hugged his friend. He pulled away and gave Kendall a nervous smile.

Kendall rolled her eyes, "Oh come here you big lug!"

Jamie pulled away and sighed as he heard another expletive carry in from outside, this time from Bianca. He noticed the surprised look his friends shared. "Thank God you're here. They've been at this for forty-five minutes."

"What are they arguing about?" Kendall asked as she hazarded a look out the back window.

"I don't even know anymore." Jamie looked at the kids and made sure they weren't paying attention. "Aiden called with some information and asked Maggie to talk to Bianca. It started out civil…"

Kendall's head snapped back to look at the man standing in front of her and spoke in a rush, "What did he say?"

Jamie led the two women into the hallway closer to the commotion outside and further from the children and the officers that remained in the house. "We have proof that the head of Cambias security and Reese are involved in the kidnapping."

"What?" Both Kendall and Greenlee exclaimed.

"Yeah I know… Look, is there any way you can get those two to call a truce or something?"

Kendall nodded and pulled her partner with her to the back door.

"Hey, why do I have to come?" Greenlee whined.

Kendall rolled her eyes and smiled, "So you can put a leash on the pit bull while I take care of the princess."

Greenlee smirked as they walked out the back door.

"I DIDN'T F**KING CHEAT!"

"HEY!" Kendall yelled as she and Greenlee ran to where her sister and Maggie stood arguing. "You two need to COOL IT!" She pushed the two women apart and glared at them both. "What are you, twelve?" She turned toward her sister. "Come on Binks, we need to talk." Bianca huffed and glared at Maggie, but then followed her sister back inside.

Greenlee watched Maggie as Bianca walked away. The tension slowly left Maggie deflated as she turned toward her friend. "I know Mags, I know." Greenlee pulled her into a hug and walked backwards to the bench. "Come on Shorty, talk to me."

Bianca followed her sister to the den and sat on the couch, crossing her arms. Kendall joined her and quirked her eyebrow in challenge. "She started it."

"Really Binks, that's the first thing you say?" Kendall smirked.

Sighing, Bianca rubbed her forehead. "I don't know how we ended up fighting…"

Kendall gently placed her hand on her sister's arm and spoke softly, "Why don't you tell me what happened?"

Exhausted, Bianca recounted the argument as calmly as possible. "And that's when you interrupted… You know, I can totally understand Maggie being upset. She has every right to be, but I think I have every right to be upset too… maybe… Kendall, I don't know anymore… I think I'm beginning to wonder what was really going on when I found her with that woman… Was I wrong?"

Kendall looked at her sister sympathetically, "There could be a valid explanation for what you saw… But the million dollar question is – do you want to hear it?"

"I don't know. I'm so confused and I'm so tired…"

"So… Jamie said Reese is involved-"

"Kendall, I don't want to talk about it." Bianca shook her head and sobbed, "I just want my baby back."

"Oh Binks, come here honey." Kendall wrapped her arms around her sister and held her tightly. She whispered soothing words to the younger brunette and worried about what was next.

Jamie looked at his pager again and sighed. He watched the children for a moment. They sat on the floor in front of the couch playing Battleship – Gabrielle and Leo against Spike and Ian. It was almost like they were oblivious to their surroundings and the tragedy that was happening – all four of them had bright smiles on their faces and laughter rang out every few minutes. _I don't know how kids are so resilient… _He sighed again, pulled out his cell phone, and dialed the hospital. "Hey Sabrina, you paged me?"

The voice on the other end of the line was hesitant in her response, "Yes, Dr. Martin… There's been a pretty big accident-"

"Dr. Larue is the cardiologist on call today-"

"Yes sir, but he's in surgery already. We have another case that needs immediate attention."

"Damn it…" Jamie whispered as he looked at the kids on the floor and then out the back window. "Alright, I'll be there in twenty. Make sure the OR is prepped and ready when I get there."

After a few minutes, Bianca cleared her throat and sat back up, wiping her tears away. "Thanks Kendall."

Kendall offered a small smile, "Of course." She then frowned, "Um… have you told Mom what's going on?"

Bianca's hand flew to her mouth as she realized what she had forgotten. "Oh no, she's going to kill me…"

"Nah, she'll probably just kill me. I'm the one that was in Pine Valley when Maggie called… I could have had her hop on the jet with us." Kendall dropped her head in shame. "I'm so sorry Bianca, I wasn't thinking. I just wanted to get here as fast as possible."

"Don't worry about it. She'd probably make it more stressful anyways… I'll give her a call in a little while. I don't want to get her too upset until we get some solid information."

The two women were startled at the rapid knocking on the door. After calling out that the person on the other side could come into the room, the door flew open and a worried Jamie stood with his hand rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous gesture.

"I just got paged. Apparently there was a big accident and Emergency needs an extra cardiologist for surgery." Jamie walked to where Bianca sat and bent to kiss her forehead. "I'm so sorry Bianca, I'll get back as soon as I can!"

"It's okay Jamie, I understand."

Relieved, Jamie hugged his friends. "The munchkins are in the living room having a blast. Could you keep an eye on Leo?"

"Of course, Jamie," Both Kendall and Bianca replied as they stood to join the children in the other room.

Greenlee looked at her friend sympathetically, "You never got those walls back up, did you?"

Shaking her head, Maggie leaned over and rested her elbows on her knees with her chin in her hands. "I tried… We hadn't seen each other in so long and I thought I had gotten over everything." She sighed. "I guess not."

"It's okay Mags. You guys need to get it all out into the open if there's any hope of salvaging ANY kind of relationship." Greenlee rubbed her hand soothingly up and down her friend's back.

Running her hands through her hair, Maggie sat up and looked into Greenlee's eyes. "A day hasn't gone by that I haven't thought of Bianca and Miranda and it breaks my heart each time, but this morning… God Greens! I couldn't breathe. It felt like my heart was in the garbage disposal." Maggie shook her head. "And I wasn't thinking… Not once did it come to mind our situation here… I think I should have stayed away…"

Greenlee shook her head in disagreement. "No, you did the right thing." At Maggie's skeptical look, she shrugged. "Maybe it wasn't the best time to get into this conversation- argument- whatever with Binky, but it happened and now we're just going to have to make the best out of a bad situation." Maggie looked down and shrugged slightly. "Hey…" Greenlee gently lifted her friend's chin so she was looking at her again. She smirked. "Look on the bright side, Kendall finally knows about Leo!" As Maggie rolled her eyes, Greenlee chuckled and winked at her friend, "Hey now that was a hard secret to keep!"

Maggie laughed for the first time that day. "Well I'm glad you survived." She bumped shoulders with her friend.

Greenlee put her arm around Maggie and pulled her into a hug. "You gonna hold it together?" At Maggie's nod, Greenlee pulled her from the bench and smiled. "Well, let's get back inside then. I haven't given my Godson a hug yet!"

Spike frowned and looked back at his mother sitting on the couch. "Hey, Mom…"

Kendall turned toward her son. "Yeah baby?"

"Leo's bleeding."

Both Kendall and Bianca whipped their heads toward Maggie's son.

Gabrielle was trying to help Leo with a tissue. She looked at her mother with terror in her eyes. "It won't stop!"

Bianca slid off the couch to help Leo and yelled for his mother. "Maggie!"

Kendall ran to the back door just as Greenlee and Maggie pulled it open. The worry was written on her face causing Maggie to push by and run down the hall to the living room.

Maggie rushed to her son's side. "Leo, baby, what happened?" She gave Gabrielle's shoulder a little squeeze in thanks and took the tissue from her hand.

Spike furrowed his brow in confusion. "It was sudden. Nothing happened. We were just playing Battleship."

Maggie finally looked at the woman holding Leo's left hand and rubbing his back in comfort. She nodded her thanks to her ex and yelled behind her, "I need a bag of ice!" Maggie leaned toward Bianca and spoke softly to the little girl who had moved to her mother's side. "Gabrielle, could you get me some more tissues?" She looked questioningly at Bianca, "Maybe an old washcloth?"

Bianca nodded and while she told her daughter where to find the item, Maggie kissed Leo's forehead and frowned. "Oh honey, you're burning up!" She closed her eyes and sighed heavily.

Maggie took the requested items from both Kendall and Gabrielle. She sat the bag of ice on the ground for the time being and pulled the bloody tissue from her son's nose. She looked worriedly at Bianca, who continued to hold her son's hand, and replaced the tissue with the washcloth Gabrielle had brought. The blood still wasn't clotting, but it didn't surprise her in the least. If she had been hopeful that her son's leukemia was not back, she just got her confirmation to the contrary. Maggie held the bag of ice underneath the now bloody washcloth and placed it back to Leo's nose. "He's got an infection…" Maggie shook her head. "It could be from anything at this point." At Bianca's questioning look, Maggie briefly explained. "Leo's leukemia weakens his immune system and it also causes him to bleed for no apparent reason. Do you have any children's fever reducers?"

Bianca squeezed the little boy's hand and then stood from her position on the floor. She nodded and walked back toward her bedroom to retrieve the item from her medicine cabinet.

Maggie looked around the room again. "Where's Jamie?"

"Oh, he got paged for an emergency surgery." At Maggie's raised eyebrows, Kendall shrugged. "He didn't want to interrupt you guys. He left about twenty minutes ago."

Maggie nodded. Once satisfied with the slowed blood flow, she lifted her son into her arms and made sure he continued to hold the cloth and ice to his nose. "Hold that there baby." As she walked toward the master bedroom, Maggie yelled, "Hey Bianca, do you have an extra sheet I can put on the couch in the den? Leo needs to lie down."


	5. Chapter 5

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 5:**

While Bianca and Maggie tended to Leo, Kendall and Greenlee took care of the other children. Calming them down proved to be difficult, but Kendall was finally getting through to them as she was interrupted by a knock on the door. The curly-haired woman looked pleadingly with her partner.

Taking the hint, Greenlee stood from the small circle and ruffled everyone's hair, including Kendall's. She smirked as she took in her partner's annoyed expression. She shrugged as she walked to the door and opened it to find an old friend standing there. "Robin!" Greenlee hugged the taller woman and then bent down to greet Robin's daughter. "And you must be the Emma I've been hearing so much about." Emma nodded shyly.

Robin smiled as Greenlee ushered them into the house. She looked around for Maggie, but frowned when she didn't see her anywhere.

At the confused look on Robin's face, Kendall stood from her spot on the floor. "Hi Robin, I'm Kendall-"

Robin nodded and extended her hand. "Right, Bianca's sister. I'm glad to finally meet you, but sorry we're meeting under such horrible circumstances."

Kendall shook Robin's extended hand and then led their new guest to the kitchen to speak in private. She knew Greenlee would make sure Emma was introduced to the three children who had finally calmed down since the new visitors had arrived. _Thank God for short-term memory._ "Coffee?"

Leaning against the counter, Robin nodded. "So where's Maggie?"

Once Kendall had poured two cups of coffee, she leaned against the opposite counter and sighed. "She's in the den taking care of Leo."

Robin nearly choked on the sip of coffee she had just inhaled. "What? Is he okay?" Robin asked hurriedly.

Kendall nodded as she took a drink of the hot liquid. She explained what had happened just a few moments ago and watched as Robin frowned with worry.

Clearing her throat to remove any hint of emotion, Robin asked, "Can you tell me what's been happening since this morning? I've only talked to my mother a few times since we left London." She looked at her daughter sitting on the floor playing Battleship with the other kids. "It's hard to talk with a little one listening to every single thing you say."

"You can say that again." Kendall responded with a chuckle and then proceeded to relay all of the information she knew.

Robin worriedly looked around the corner into the hallway. "And Bianca's in there with Maggie right now?"

"Greenlee and I talked to them. They agreed that they don't want to fight. They'll be civil until this little shindig is over." Kendall too looked down the hallway. "They're fine. I don't hear them arguing and believe me, we would hear it." She smirked.

Robin gave the taller woman a skeptical look as she raised her left brow, "If you say so…"

"I do." Kendall gently turned Robin from the hallway and back into the kitchen. "Now tell me the latest from Anna and Aiden…"

* * *

Bianca unfolded the sheet as she watched Maggie soothingly rub her son's head. She could hear a soft cry coming from Leo and it took all she had not to cry herself. She tucked the sheet into the couch and placed a pillow and a blanket on one end. Turning toward her ex, she heard Maggie speaking softly trying to calm her little boy.

Maggie lifted her glassy eyes to find an equally sorrowful pair of eyes staring back at her. She let Bianca gently place her ivory-skinned hand on her shoulder and was led toward the couch. Rubbing Leo's back once again, Maggie whispered in his ear, "It's going to be okay, baby. Let's just get you to lie down here and take a nap." She gently laid her son down on the couch and situated the pillow beneath his head caressing his cheek as she tucked the blanket around him.

Bianca quietly sat in the chair by the opposite end of the couch. She watched Maggie kiss her son's forehead and her heart ached as her ex finally sat down on the end of the couch next to her chair, her hand never leaving her son.

Maggie was the first to speak as she absentmindedly rubbed her son's legs. Leo had finally told her that his legs were in the most pain. She sighed as she thought of all the times he would try to hide his pain from her and was thankful he finally spoke up after his nose bleed. "He hasn't had a bleed like that in a long time…" Realizing she had said that out loud, Maggie turned toward her old friend with an apologetic expression. "Thanks for the medicine. Hopefully that will get the fever down until we can get him to the doctor." At Bianca's nod and after checking that Leo was asleep, Maggie continued in a soft voice, "I think all of this excitement has been a little too much for him today."

Thinking of Leo and of the earlier fight outside, Bianca frowned and looked deep into Maggie's eyes as she too spoke softly, "I'm so sorry, Maggie."

Maggie sighed as she took in the double meaning of her old friend's apology. "Me too…"

Sitting a little straighter, Bianca wrung her hands as she was overcome by a wave of nervousness. She continued to look into her ex-lover's eyes and spoke quietly, "I know we need to talk about what happened, but I don't want to fight anymore… Can we do that?" The younger woman sighed at the older woman's nod, the sorrow was evident in her voice when she continued, "Maggie, don't you miss it, the way we were?"

Maggie closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose as she frowned. _More than you know B… more than you know. _Maggie sighed. She knew that she needed to tell Bianca the truth about how she felt, the good and the bad. She knew how badly Bianca had been hurt, but Bianca needed to know that she had been hurt too. It was the only way they were going to come out of this in one piece.

Bianca fidgeted at the uncomfortable silence. _Please say something…_

Maggie audibly swallowed and looked back into the eyes of her ex-lover, her once best friend, and desperately tried to keep her tears at bay. She longed to be back in the younger woman's arms. "Bianca, even now, after all these years, I think about you with both joy and pain." She grabbed her shirt where her heart was supposed to be. "Even now, I remember when you left…" Maggie watched Bianca look away. "I walked all night through the rain, broken and lost. I swore that I'd never love that way again."

Bianca snapped her head back up at Maggie's declaration. She regretted few things in her life and walking away from the only woman she loved with her whole heart was one of them.

Maggie couldn't stop the emotion from seeping into her voice as she talked about the past, slowly shaking her head back and forth. "Even then, you were aiming much higher, somewhere higher where you thought I could fly. And even then, you were looking for rainbows, something more than the cloudless blue sky."

Bianca watched the emotion play out on her ex-lover's face and however cryptic her words, Bianca knew exactly what Maggie meant. She also knew that Maggie was right. She thought back to all those times she had tried to push her once best friend into defining their relationship, all those times she would start a fight over something stupid, and all those times she expected more than the happiness they shared. Bianca shook her head and frowned as she realized her mistakes.

Maggie could tell by the look in Bianca's eyes what the younger woman was thinking about. She thought back to their conversation that turned into an argument outside. "Now you tell me you were wrong, that you never should have left me for an empty dream… You spill out your regrets, a mighty river to a bitter stream… You lie awake thinking about all that might have been, so I guess we're even now."

Tears stung Bianca's eyes as she listened, recognition seeping into her heart and her consciousness. She moved from her chair and kneeled in front of the couch, taking Maggie's hands in her own.

Maggie looked at their joined hands and then back into Bianca's eyes. Unable to stop her own tears from falling, Maggie's voice strained with emotion, "Even now, more often than I'd like, I think of you and the place we used to share. And even now, I remember all the songs and the perfume in your hair… I was carried away until you cut me down in mid air." Maggie sniffled and shook her head. "Even then, there was something inside you, something bright that was burning so cold… And even then, there was something about you, something dark that I couldn't hold…"

Bianca frowned as she recalled all those times she got jealous of the other people in Maggie's life, all the times she ran back to Pine Valley and didn't bother to invite her lover along. She thought of the times she would roll away from her lover in bed, the million times she had her head everywhere but at home, and all those times she was scared and pushed her best friend away. _I'm an idiot… Why couldn't I have seen this back then? I expected more of Maggie than I did of myself…_

Maggie straightened and slowly pulled her hands from Bianca's grasp, her thoughts once again drifting to their previous argument. She wiped the tracks of her tears from her face and cleared her throat. _Just say it._ She closed her eyes tightly. "Now you tell me that your life has never been the free flight that you thought it would be and you know that it's way too late now… All we've got is history." Maggie looked into the younger woman's sad eyes. "Bianca, when I lost you… you lost me." Frowning and shrugging slightly, Maggie took a deep breath and finished her thought in a whisper, "So I guess we're even now."

Bianca continued to kneel in front of Maggie, trying to find the words she wanted to say. She couldn't let go of Maggie when she just came back into her life. "Maggie, I still feel the power of you and me together. I know that I was the lucky one, even though I was always the last to believe it… I took you for granted and I hurt you." Bianca watched as Maggie's sad eyes softened. She spoke with more conviction. "I know that I'm the lucky one because you're here with me now. I'm so sorry for all the times I pushed you away. I'm so sorry… for everything." Bianca shook her head and frowned.

Maggie spoke softly, "But Bianca, you always turn away from the things I've been trying to say…"

"I'm ready now. I'm not turning away." Bianca pleaded, "I'm listening now, Maggie. If you didn't cheat, please tell me what happened that night."

Maggie rubbed her forehead and sighed. _The one time I don't want to tell her the truth is the one time she picks to start listening. I've waited so long to explain… _She looked at her son and then at a picture of Miranda and Gabrielle on the side table. _But it all seems so trivial now. _Resigned, Maggie took a deep, calming breath and finally explained, "Okay. Like I said before, you were pushing me away. I was trying everything to make us work. I wasn't into my lab partner, Bianca, but it was nice to finally have someone pay attention to me again." She shook her head. "I told her that I wasn't interested, but she didn't care. I know that I should have requested a new partner, or at least I should have told her to leave me alone – that's my mistake and arguably the worst mistake I've ever made – but I swear to you that I did not cheat on you. You know me, Bianca. I would never…"

Maggie took a deep breath to stop her rambling and continued at the younger woman's nod, "Bianca, my study group was over at the house that afternoon. We had a big test the next day, but I sent them home after a couple hours because I knew you were getting home early and I wanted to spend some time with you. It had been so long…" Shaking her head, Maggie's voice took on a disgusted tone as she told of 'The Cecilia Incident', as Jamie liked to call it. "Anyway, she didn't leave with the rest of the group. She said she had a question for me. The next thing I know, she's pushed me onto the couch and her lips are on mine, I'm trying to push her away, and you're yelling at me to get her out of the house before you get back. Thirty seconds… that's all it took for my life to shatter."

Bianca couldn't believe what she was hearing, yet she did, she believed every word. Maggie's voice full of sincerity and regret, her eyes reflecting the truth of her words, her facial expression one of deep sadness… Maggie was being honest and Bianca didn't know how to deal with the new information.

Maggie watched the sadness creep into Bianca's frown. "I waited for you to come home, but you didn't and I had to leave Miranda with the sitter the next morning so I could make that test. And when I got home, you were gone… a note telling me not to follow you. I know I made mistakes, Bianca, but you just left... After all we'd been through… You didn't even give me a chance to explain." At her old friend's silence and the distraught look on her face, worry etched into Maggie's voice, "Bianca?"

Bianca couldn't believe she had been so rash in her decision to leave. She had been too hurt to listen to anything Maggie had to say that night and then any time after that. _If only I hadn't completely shut her out when I left, I could have listened to her and then we could have worked through this… and now, after all this time, damn it we've lost so much._ She couldn't take the look of concern on Maggie's face feeling like she didn't deserve it. She quickly stood and ran from the room as tears started to run down her face, slamming the master bedroom door behind her.

Stunned, Maggie looked back at her sleeping son. Tears already falling, she curled up next to Leo and held him tight.

* * *

Startled, Kendall and Robin peered into the hallway from the kitchen. Kendall turned toward the shorter woman and frowned. "I guess that's our cue…"

Robin nodded and pointed to a door down the hallway. "That's the den?" At Kendall's nod, she walked down the hall toward the room.

Kendall watched as Robin shut the door to the den behind her. She then got Greenlee's attention and waited for her in the kitchen.

"What's up?" Greenlee asked with concern etched on her features.

Kendall sighed, "I don't know… Are you going to be okay hanging with the kids for a bit? I need to talk to Bianca."

Squeezing her partner's shoulder, Greenlee nodded. "Of course. Go take care of Binky." She looked down the hallway. "Robin went to see Shorty?" At Kendall's nod, Greenlee smirked. "Well, I'll figure out something for us to do." At Kendall's questioning look, Greenlee exclaimed quietly, "I'm getting sick of Battleship!"

Kendall genuinely laughed and gave the shorter woman a kiss on the cheek. She then left the kitchen and made her way to Bianca's bedroom.

Greenlee sighed as she walked to the hallway closet and looked at the board games. "Now that's my kind of game…" She grabbed the box and turned toward the children sitting on the floor looking at her expectantly. "How about a game of _Sorry!_?" She smiled at the enthusiastic agreement from the kids.

* * *

"Bianca?" At the sound of sobs coming from the bed, Kendall quietly shut the door behind her. She climbed onto the bed and slid in behind her sister, laying her hand across Bianca's shoulders. "What happened?"

Bianca rolled over and looked into her sister's eyes, shaking her head as she continued to cry. "I'm an idiot." She shook her head and relayed the conversation she had with Maggie. "She said I lost her, that we're even now." Bianca sniffled. "What have I done?"

Kendall pulled her sister closer and gave her a hug. "Shh… I don't believe that one bit." At Bianca's wide eyes staring back at her, Kendall continued. "Everyone, including her, knows that she's still in love with you, just like we all know you feel the same way. She's just hurt, Bianca. You remember how that feels, don't you?" At her sister's slight nod, she continued in a soft voice, "You've both made mistakes and it's going to take some time to repair your relationship, but I think you and Maggie have made the first step. At least you were able to talk without getting in another fight." She shrugged. "Bianca? What do you want?"

Bianca took a deep breath and responded on exhale, "I want my family back."

"And does that family include Maggie?"

Bianca nodded. "Yes." She sighed. "Remember when I called you a couple weeks ago?" At Kendall's nod, Bianca continued, "I was having it out with Reese about the divorce and custody arrangements and it just hit me… I never stopped loving Maggie, never stopped wanting her to be a part of our lives, never stopped comparing my wife to my ex, I just was too hurt to do or say anything. I was so desperate to make it work with Reese…" She shook her head and frowned. "Like I said, I'm an idiot. That's been my consensus for the last couple of weeks now." Bianca tucked some hair behind her ear. "You know, I had decided that once the divorce went through and I got full custody of the girls, I was going to try and find Maggie." She sat up and shrugged. "I don't know what I was going to say or do once I did get to that point though." She continued sardonically, "But I guess there's a silver lining to everything. Here she is, sitting in my den, because my soon-to-be ex-wife kidnapped our daughter."

Sitting Indian style on the bed now, Kendall raised her eyebrows in surprise. "So you believe that Reese is involved now?"

Bianca sighed. "I don't know what to believe anymore. All I know is that Maggie wouldn't lie about something like this, not when it concerns our daughter."

"Speaking of Maggie and Miranda, what are you going to do when all this is over?" Kendall spoke softly hoping to not anger her sister. "I think it's time you-"

"I know."

* * *

Robin closed the door quietly behind her and looked at mother and son. Hearing Maggie's soft cry and Leo's quiet snores, she knelt next to the couch and gently placed a comforting hand on the shaking woman. Maggie turned and slid off the couch into Robin's open arms. Wrapping her arms around the crying woman, Robin rocked back and forth not knowing how to provide her comfort.

Several minutes passed and watching the rise and fall of Leo's chest, Robin smiled as she remembered the day Maggie gave birth to her son. Maggie had been so happy, which had been incredibly rare since she had lost Bianca and Miranda. Whenever Leo was involved, the light would return to Maggie's eyes. Mother and son were inseparable… _and then he got sick…_ Since Leo had been born, Maggie had struggled with her decision to not tell Jamie about his son, but once he got sick and wasn't responding to the chemotherapy, Maggie knew she had to get her friend involved. _I know we're all thankful she did… I can't even imagine these past few years without my wonderful nephew._ But now he was sick again and even though Maggie was one of the strongest people she knew, Robin wasn't sure her surrogate sister could handle another round of Leo's treatment… Leo was stronger and older now, but he was still a scared little boy and Robin knew it broke Maggie's heart every time she saw him sad, scared, or in pain.

Feeling Maggie's body relax, Robin held her tighter. _And now with Miranda's kidnapping and having to see Bianca again…_ Robin didn't know how Maggie had held it together this long. The tiny brunette had made it quite clear a long time ago that she did not want to discuss her old family, but Robin knew the reason her friend had made that rule… It hurt Maggie too much to talk about, especially when it was one of the few things she couldn't stop thinking about. Even though Maggie wouldn't admit it, Robin knew that while Bianca was letting go, Maggie was still holding on... As Robin felt her friend lean away and wipe at her face, she looked at the tired woman and sighed. _Looks like I'm going to have to break that rule…_


	6. Chapter 6

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

* * *

**Part 6:**

After talking with Kendall for some time, Bianca started pacing back and forth in front of her bed. "Kendall, I don't get it… Why would Reese take Miranda?" Bianca shook her head and continued before her sister could respond, "Maggie said that she just wants to hurt me, but it's got to be more than that. We didn't end things amicably by any means, but I just can't see her being that cruel. I did love her at one point…"

Scooting to the edge of the bed, Kendall finally spoke, "Well, what about custody of Gabrielle?"

Bianca shook her head back and forth. "I thought about that before because we did fight about custody, but Reese finally accepted my terms of the divorce. If she did this though, I am definitely going to have to change the visitation agreement. She's not coming anywhere near my kids again."

_Well, at least she's got her head back on her shoulders… This is such a mess._ Realizing Bianca was waiting for her to say something, Kendall exclaimed, "That's for damn sure!" At the glare she received from her sister, Kendall sighed, "What about money? Miranda's the Cambias heir…"

"So is Gabrielle…"

Kendall pinched the bridge of her nose and spoke in a low voice, "I remember." She took a deep, calming breath. "Look, it's like the royal family. Say they were both boys and heirs to the throne… Gabrielle would never be King unless something happened to Mir- Oh God…" Kendall immediately clasped her hands over her mouth in horror and stared at the pale face of her sister.

The sisters were interrupted by the sound of a bicycle bell. _What the hell?_ They both looked around the room and at the second ring, realized the sound had come from Bianca's pocket. The younger woman pulled an unfamiliar cell phone from her pants and looked at the screen. _6:00pm Dr. Mannheim: Dr. Stone- Leo's biopsy and LP positive. Come in tomorrow for MRI. I'm sorry._ Bianca gasped. "It's Maggie's phone and… and…" She couldn't finish her sentence and Kendall took the phone from her hand, looking at the screen.

Frowning at the bad news, Kendall started to walk to the door as the phone in her hand rang. The number was blocked and no one spoke when she answered. Shrugging, she ended the call. Her hand on the doorknob, Kendall chuckled as she started to hear the theme song to 'Secret Agent Man' coming from the phone in her hand. "Brilliant," she said when she saw who was calling. Deciding she wanted to talk to the caller, she walked back to her sister and hit the speakerphone. "Hey 'Secret Agent Man'."

Both Bianca and the man on the other end of the line were confused. The British accent filtered through the speaker, "Kendall? What are you doing answering Maggie's phone?"

"Long story… she's resting with Leo in the other room. Talk to me and I'll relay the information."

Aiden looked at his aunt questioningly and shrugged. "Okay… Anna and I are about an hour outside of Paris-"

Kendall interrupted, "What-How?"

Bianca also interrupted, panicking, "Why?"

"We faxed everything we had on the situation to the police in Paris, but no one got back to us. When I called the station, a member of Cambias security answered. He told us there was nothing we could do… that everything would be as it should be. I just had a bad feeling and we had to come."

Kendall and Bianca looked at each other with worry and fear in their eyes. "Okay…"

"So that just confirmed my suspicions. I called in a favor and the helicopter just dropped us. We are an hour away and we're heading directly to the station to get with the chief. We need to straighten this out. Bianca?"

"Yes Aiden?"

"I don't know if Maggie told you yet, but Cambias security is compromised."

"Yes, she told me about Stewart but I didn't believe her…" Bianca sighed. "I do now and I will take care of it. Can you send the coordinates of your contact following Stewart? I never trusted him. I should have known… Reese insisted that I hire him." She shook her head. "I'll send a team to meet your guy for support."

"Okay, thanks Bianca. This is probably why we haven't received any information on the kidnapping. The lines of communication are being controlled by the bad guys." Aiden sighed. "Oh, has Robin made it there yet?"

"Yes, she's in with Maggie."

"Okay, great. Oh, I'm getting another call. I have to take this. We'll call when we know more."

The phone went silent and Kendall ended the call. She looked worriedly at her sister. So much was happening so fast and she wasn't sure Bianca was processing. Before she could say anything, Bianca had gotten on her own cell phone and from what Kendall could tell she was promoting Pierre and telling him everything that was going on. Indicating that she was leaving the room, Kendall took Maggie's phone with her. She stopped outside of the den and heard Maggie's soft cries. At the sound of Robin speaking softly, Kendall decided she shouldn't interrupt and continued into the living room needing to see her sons and speak to Greenlee.

* * *

"Talk to me." Aiden responded curtly. After a few moments, Aiden shut his phone and stared at Anna in disbelief. "Damn it. Pull over at this gas station. We need a map."

Anna did as was requested. After Aiden returned with the map, Anna spoke, "What is going on Aiden?"

Finishing his search for the new destination, Aiden sighed. _It's not that far. Good._ "That was my contact following Stewart. He tailed him to an accident over by Jamie's hospital. It seems Stewart stuck around long enough to get the info from the police. A white van ran a red light and crashed into a tour bus. A woman meeting Reese's description was seen pulling a child meeting Miranda's description out the back of the van before the police showed up. No one saw where they were headed, but the driver was taken to the hospital and should be out of surgery by now. Guess where Stewart is headed…"

Anna put the car back into drive and followed Aiden's directions to the hospital. "To tie up a loose end, I presume."

"That's what I figure. Before my guy took off after Stewart, he got us the number for the chief of police. I'm going to call him to meet us at the hospital."

Anna nodded and sped up. _This is all very strange…_

_

* * *

_"Everything is going to be okay, hun." Robin said softly as she continued to hold her surrogate sister. "Leo is so strong, Maggie. Just like you. He's going to pull through this just like he did the last time. And what's better is that he's going to have even more people loving him and taking care of him than he did before."

Maggie looked up into Robin's eyes and frowned. "I should only be upset about Leo right now, but I can't stop thinking about Miranda… and Bianca…"

Holding her tighter, Robin sighed. "Honey, I know. That's okay. Miranda and Bianca are your family too." At Maggie's skeptical look, Robin continued. "Whether you like it or not, you and Bianca are forever connected. You can't deny that. You can't run away from it. No matter what happens, what you guys go through, something always pulls you back together." She pulled away slightly to stare into sad eyes. "Maggie, I believe in soul mates… do you?"

Maggie wiped the tears from her eyes again and sat back against the couch. She looked at the picture of Bianca, Miranda, and Gabrielle on the end table and then back at Robin. "I did…"

"You can't just turn something like that off."

"I know. I've tried." Maggie shook her head and sighed. "Robin, what do I do? I need to be focused on Leo right now."

Robin tilted her head in question, "Why can't Bianca be there for you? Leo's going to need you, but what about what you need?"

"There's such a mess between us though…"

"Maggie, I'm not saying it's going to be easy and that you guys don't have stuff you need to work through. I'm just saying that it's okay to need her. She was your best friend before you were lovers. You may never get back together, but you know what, you don't need to think about that right now." Robin absentmindedly waved her hand in the air. "That's down the road. Right now I think the both of you need your friendship back."

Maggie nodded and both were startled by a ringing phone. Robin looked at the caller ID and frowned, answering her cell phone. Maggie was surprised when the phone was being held out to her, Robin indicating that the person asked for her.

"H-Hello?" Maggie asked confused.

"Finally, the great Maggie Stone."

"Who is this?"

"Your worst nightmare." The woman spoke menacingly and the sound of rustling was heard on the line. "I really thought I'd have to do more to get you involved so quickly. Say hello, Miranda."

Shocked, Maggie hit the speakerphone and stared at the phone like it had burnt her hand. Robin looked on worriedly.

"M-Maggie?" The quiet voice sounded scared.

Panicked, Maggie exclaimed, "Oh my God, Miranda! Are you okay? If you hurt her, Reese, I swear I'll…"

More rustling was heard and then the woman came back on the line. "You'll what? I hold all the cards, Dr. Stone. Tell me, how's Leo?"

Maggie gasped and Robin took the phone from her, speaking through clenched teeth, "What do you know about Leo? You leave him out of this!"

Laughter was heard. "Oh, Robin Scorpio… You think I didn't do my homework? Even your mob friends won't be able to help that little boy." The smirk could be heard in Reese's voice. "Tell me, when was the last time you heard from Dr. Martin? I'd hate for something to happen to Leo's savior."

Robin and Maggie stared at each other in horror. The anger quickly seeped into Maggie's features and she exclaimed, "I'm going to find you! You are never going to take my world from me!" Laughter echoed on the line and then it went silent. Maggie immediately jumped up from the ground and yanked open the door, ignoring Robin's protests.

* * *

Kendall smiled brightly as she looked at her two boys. They seemed to be having a good time. _What game is that? _She watched as Spike knocked a piece off the board and yelled 'Sorry!' and started giggling. _Of course, Greenlee's favorite game…_ She rolled her eyes and placed her hand on her partner's shoulder. "I need to steal Greens away." A round of 'Aww' was heard, even from her partner, as she led Greenlee to the kitchen.

Noticing the look in Kendall's eyes, Greenlee took the taller woman's hand in hers and questioned, "What's up?"

Kendall ran her other hand through her dark curls. She quietly explained what Aiden had said on the phone earlier. At Greenlee's worried looks at the guards who remained in the house, Kendall added, "Binks is taking care of it right now."

Nodding, Greenlee could tell there was something else wrong. Her partner's eyes reflected a sadness that she hadn't seen since 'The Gabrielle Incident', as Jamie so lovingly called it. He always could make her laugh when she needed it. "Honey, what else is going on?"

Kendall sighed and handed over Maggie's phone. "This…"

Greenlee read the text message about Leo and tears immediately fell from her eyes. She looked up from the phone and asked, "Does Maggie know?" At the shaking of Kendall's head, the shorter woman absentmindedly set the phone on the counter. "He's my Godson, you know?"

Kendall pulled her partner into her arms and rubbed her back, tears falling from her eyes as well. "I figured."

"I didn't want to keep it from you, but Maggie didn't-"

"It's okay, baby. We'll worry about that later."

"Hey guys, Pierre's going to…" Bianca stopped in the doorway of the kitchen and trailed off, "take care of it." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked down at the sight of her sister comforting her partner.

The two women pulled away from each other and wiped their eyes. Before they were able to say anything, they heard Robin yell Maggie's name.

"Maggie, wait!" Robin ran after the fiery woman when she didn't respond.

The three women in the kitchen looked questioningly at each other as they saw Maggie run by and then followed Robin. They watched the police officer step in front of the front door blocking the tiny brunette's exit from the house.

Through clenched teeth, Maggie growled, "Move aside." The police officer shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. Panicking, Maggie turned around to leave through the back door but noticed that the way was blocked by the women standing in the hall. _Calm down... _She felt like a caged animal, a mother with her kids in danger and she couldn't get away to help them.

Kendall walked over to Maggie, put her hands on the shorter woman's shoulders, and spoke softly in her ear, "Maggie, please don't leave. My sister needs you." At Maggie's scoff, Kendall continued, "Miranda needs you. Greenlee and I need you." The taller woman watched Maggie's eyes soften slightly and then immediately turn to panic again. "Maggie, please, you're family."

Maggie shook her head, "Kendall, thank you, but I need to find Jamie."

Seeing the panic in Maggie's eyes, Bianca finally spoke worriedly, "Robin, what happened?"

Robin stared at Maggie and sighed, "Reese called to taunt her."

Kendall whipped her head around and swiftly walked toward the group of women standing in front of the hallway. All three women looked at Robin in shock, "What?"

"She put Miranda on the phone for a second." Robin looked sadly at Bianca as her eyes filled with tears. "She sounded okay, scared, but okay." Bianca tried to say something but Robin continued, "She then brought up Leo and indicated that something happened to Jamie."

Kendall frowned. "How on God's green Earth would she know about them?"

Bianca looked back to Maggie and watched her eyes dart around the room. She whispered. "I didn't even know about them…"

"Thank God Miranda's okay. So why would Reese call Maggie and then talk about Leo and Jamie? It doesn't make any sense…" Greenlee questioned as she rubbed her forehead, confused.

Bianca frowned as she watched the police officer turn off his radio. The call lasted only a few seconds, but as soon as he stuck his cell phone back in his pocket, the officer immediately removed his handcuffs. She looked worriedly at the children playing off to the side, thankfully oblivious to the commotion, and then looked to the three women standing beside her. "Guys…" All three women turned their attention to the front door.

The police officer grabbed Maggie's shoulder and pulled her toward him, slapping a handcuff on her left wrist. Maggie whipped around and stared at the man in disbelief, "What the Hell?"

The officer yanked her other wrist toward him and secured the handcuffs. "Vous êtes en état d'arrestation pour l'enlèvement de Miranda Montgomery."

Kendall and Greenlee looked questioningly at Robin and Bianca. Robin was furious and couldn't respond. Shocked and confused, Bianca frowned and replied, "He just arrested Maggie for Miranda's kidnapping." Before anyone else could say anything, Leo's voice was heard calling out for his mother.

Maggie looked from the police officer's menacing gaze to the group of children now looking her way. _Don't make a scene. You'll just scare them._ Defeated, she sighed as she looked back to the group of women in the room. Tears streamed down her face as she heard Leo call out for her again. "Robin, Greenlee…" She took a deep breath that did nothing to calm her. "Please take care of Leo. Kendall, I know you'll take good care of Bianca." The officer had opened the front door and was now yanking Maggie outside. As she was slammed against the police car, she yelled in desperation, "And call Aiden! Find out what happened to Jamie!" The officer elbowed Maggie in the face effectively shutting her up, knocking her unconscious. He shoved her into the back seat of the car and slammed the door.

The women were still staring outside in shock when the police officer came back inside. "You won't be calling anyone." He said, motioning for the women to give up their cell phones. He then nodded toward the remaining Cambias guards in the house and watched them block the rest of the exits.

* * *

Jamie took a long gulp of his coffee. He was never good at talking to patients, that's why he had gone into surgery. The patients were drugged up and he could usually send an intern to see the patient in recovery. _Not today…_ He looked at the chart in his hand. _No, this guy put a whole tour bus in the ER and now we're short-staffed._ Taking a deep breath, Jamie pushed open the door and put a smile on his face.

* * *

The four women left in the house moved to the kitchen, Greenlee halfway in the hallway so she could keep an eye on the kids. Bianca rubbed her forehead, Robin clenched and unclenched her fists, Kendall stared at Maggie's phone on the counter, and Greenlee counted the number of guards in the house.

"How did this happen?" Bianca whispered in disbelief.

"It wouldn't have if-"

Greenlee looked back in the kitchen and whispered, "Robin, cool it. That's not going to help." At Robin's nod and apologetic glance to Bianca, Greenlee sighed. "We've got four guards at the windows, one at the back door, and one at the garage door. Then there's the officer at the front door."

"Well, at least they didn't take Maggie's cell." Kendall whispered as she scrolled through the numbers in the phone. "I'm going to text Aiden."

"I'm not comfortable leaving the kids in that room." Robin whispered.

Bianca shook the thoughts of Miranda from her head and nodded. "I agree. Let's put a movie on in the den."

Greenlee looked worriedly in the direction of the den. "Were you able to get Leo back to sleep?"

"Yes, he was just scared to be alone. Aunt Robin took care of it."

"Good." Kendall responded while she put Maggie's cell on vibrate and stuck it in her pocket.

* * *

Eyes heavy, Maggie tried to bring her hands to her face and grunted in pain. _Right… _She slowly sat up and leaned her head against the window. _Jamie… God, please let Jamie be okay. Leo needs him and so do I. _Maggie opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling of the police car. "He's NOT just Leo's savior! He's so much more than that. He's my best friend. God, please, whatever Reese has done, please let Jamie be okay." Maggie's tears mixed with the blood from the cut on her cheekbone. Wincing at the burning sensation, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her emotions. Unfortunately, Maggie was too distraught over the phone call she had received from Reese. _Not only does that crazy bitch have Miranda, she's now bringing the rest of my family into this? Have I put my baby in danger by coming to the aid of my first child? _She sniffled. _Leo's life is already a nightmare… _

_

* * *

_"And the hits keep coming…" Aiden muttered while staring at the text message he had just received. Anna lifted her brow and Aiden handed her the phone. He then walked to the front desk where the police chief was waiting.

Anna was not happy with the new information from Kendall, but before she could process any further her own phone rang. "Yes?… Can't you tell me over the phone?... Alright then, I'll be there shortly."

Aiden showed the police chief his documentation on the plot to kidnap Miranda and to say the chief was surprised would be an understatement. Anna immediately joined the group of officers and handed her nephew his phone. "We think Stewart is in the building to silence the driver before he can tell us anything."

The police chief nodded. "Good assumption. Moreau, Martin, I want you to head over to the Montgomery's and relieve the officer and security guards on-site. I want all seven arrested. Organize two teams and secure the house." The officers took off in the direction of the exit, both on their cell phones.

"I've got more news. One of my guys just got to Reese's last property. He saw some evidence through the back window and is holding position." Anna continued when the men nodded. "He can't tell me what it is over the phone. I'd like to take a couple officers with me to go check it out."

"Oui, of course. Sandoval, Cook, I want you to go with this fine agent and provide backup." The officers nodded at their chief and followed Anna out of the hospital. The chief made a few phone calls and then turned back to Aiden. "We'll take the stairs."

* * *

"And that's all I know…"

Jamie stared at the man lying in bed. Shocked, he didn't know how to respond. Hearing the click of the door, he quickly turned around to find a gun pointed at his face. Before he knew what had happened, Stewart was gone and the man Jamie had saved was sporting a bullet hole in the middle of his forehead. "No!" Jamie exclaimed as he threw open the door and ran after Stewart.

* * *

"Aunt Greenie, where's Mama?"

The others in the room snickered at Leo's name for his Godmother. Greenlee just smiled brightly and kissed the young boy on the forehead. "She had to go out for a bit, but she'll be back soon."

"What movie are we going to watch?" Spike asked.

"How 'bout a classic? Toy Story 3?" Bianca asked as she held the Blu-ray disc up for inspection.

* * *

Anna, her contact, and the officers that accompanied them peered through the back window of an old shop. At Anna's nod, the officers busted through the door and secured the area. Upon reaching the room they had been looking into, they all stopped in shock.

"Oh my God…" Anna gasped as she took in the walls before her. They were covered in photographs and sticky notes. Closer inspection revealed photos of Maggie and Leo at the park, on the way to school, at the doctor's office. There were photos of Jamie at the hospital, at the café, even some from when Anna and Robin had visited. The sticky notes had dates and times, locations and schedules scribbled on them.

"From the look of these dates, Ms. Stone and her family have been under surveillance for a year…" Officer Sandoval said as he started looking through the filing cabinet.

Anna whipped out her phone just as Officer Cook was pulling out his radio.

* * *

Stewart removed the white cloth and revealed a knife covered in blood. He was careful not to touch the blade as he waited for the young doctor.

"You bastard!" Jamie yelled as he reached Stewart at the top landing in the stairwell.

The former head of Cambias security laughed menacingly and rushed forward. His prey gasped as he twisted the knife into the wound, pushing it deeper. He whispered, "You won't save any of them."

"Jamie!" Aiden yelled, rushing up the rest of the stairs when he saw the young man taking a tumble. He aimed his gun at Stewart's chest and fired. Satisfied that his mark was incapacitated for the time being, Aiden kneeled next to his friend. "Hang on James…"

* * *

Greenlee held her Godson tightly in her arms as they watched the movie. Spike and Ian were huddled around Kendall on the floor. Bianca and Robin held Gabrielle and Emma in their laps as they sat in the two remaining chairs. Aiden hadn't responded to Kendall's earlier text message yet and the four women were very worried. Not only were they basically being held against their will, Maggie was sitting in a police car outside, Miranda was still missing, and there was a possibility that something had happened to Jamie. Greenlee inwardly cursed as she felt the heat radiating from Leo and placed her hand to his forehead. "Leo, baby, are you feeling okay?"

The young boy shrugged. "My head hurts and I'm nauseous. Is it okay if I go to sleep instead of watch the movie?"

Greenlee remembered the text message Maggie had received on her phone earlier and realized that no one had told Leo's mother or Robin of the new information. She sat up, brushed some hair from her Godson's face, and smiled. "Of course you can, honey." After Leo got settled, Greenlee moved to sit next to her partner.

Kendall kissed the shorter woman on the cheek and whispered in her ear, "You're so good with him."

"No, he's good with me." Greenlee whispered back. "We need to show Robin that message from his doctor."

Kendall's eyes grew wide and hissed as she handed the phone over. "Oh my God, in all this commotion I completely forgot we didn't tell her about it!"

"Emma, why don't you go sit with your new friends for a little while?" Robin whispered in her daughter's ear as Greenlee kneeled beside the chair. She watched Emma slowly walk toward Kendall and smiled when Spike waved her over to sit next to him. "What's going on, Greenlee?"

"Maggie got a text message, but Bianca had her phone at the time. You need to see it."

Taking the phone from the kneeling woman, Robin read the message and immediately looked to Leo with wide eyes. "This is not good." She rubbed her forehead. "Not only does this mean his cancer is back, it means that it also spread to his brain." She shook her head as she thought of how Maggie was going to react to the bad news. "Damn, it came back with a vengeance."

"He's got a fever again. And he also said his head hurt and he was nauseous."

Robin tried to push her emotions aside, going into doctor mode. "We need to keep an eye on him. He's already got an infection and that could easily and very quickly develop into an inflammation of the brain now that his leukemia has spread there."

"I'm guessing that's not good."

Robin frowned as she watched Leo twist on the couch. "Right."

* * *

Aiden stood and wiped his bloody hands on his jeans. He answered his phone with sadness etched in his voice as he watched Jamie wheeled away, "Anna…"

"Aiden, thank God I finally got you! We've had it all wrong! Reese is after Maggie, not Bianca."

Shocked, Aiden grabbed the stair railing to steady himself. "What?" Aiden could hear his aunt pacing back and forth.

"Reese's last property has an office covered in photographs of Maggie and her family, even us. There are sticky notes everywhere that indicate she's had Maggie under surveillance for at least a year. One of the officers even found a diary of sorts with all these rants about how Maggie ruined Reese's relationship with Bianca."

"This just keeps getting better and better… Anna… Stewart stabbed Jamie and pushed him down the stairs. He's lost a lot of blood."

"I'll kill them!"

"Agreed." Aiden said as he walked up the stairs toward the driver's hospital room. "I shot him. He's in surgery too. I'm going to talk to the driver…" Seeing the sheet pulled over the man's head, Aiden sighed. "Nevermind, he's dead."

"Pierre just got here with his team, so I'm going to meet up with Moreau and Martin at Bianca's. Hopefully we can get some answers out of Stewart's people there."

"Have Pierre go with you, Anna. There's no telling what you might find when you get there." Aiden took Anna's grunt as agreement. "I'm going to stay here to wait on Jamie's prognosis. I'll see if the chief has heard from the team he's got searching for Miranda. We've got to get her away from that bitch!"

* * *

Maggie sighed as she felt the tickle of blood trickling down her cheek. _That bastard just had to elbow me… I'm probably going to need stitches._ Maggie then remembered the state of Miranda's room and hoped the little girl was alright. She sighed once more. _What am I going to do? Miranda sounded so scared… _"God!" Maggie exclaimed and closed her eyes as she lay back down in the back of the police car. She thought of the short time she had gotten to spend with her favorite little girl – the trips to the park or the zoo, the tickle-fests on the living room floor, the family dinners, the bedtime stories. _And now she's ten! I wonder what she likes to do now, who she's grown up to be, who she wants to be…_ Maggie smiled at the thought of seeing Miranda as she lost consciousness once again.


	7. Chapter 7

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 7:**

Anna saw the two teams of officers huddled together behind the wall outside Bianca's house. Officer Moreau waved her over. "You haven't gone in yet?"

"No ma'am. We just got finished with recon. We can't see where the friendlies are located. So, it's going to be a difficult infiltration."

"Hold on." Anna retrieved her phone and typed a quick text message.

Bianca watched her youngest daughter talk animatedly about the movie with her new friend, Emma. She smiled as she thought of all the lives that had come together at this crossed path. She certainly had many people in her life that cared about her and her family. It warmed her heart to know that Maggie had the same. She couldn't believe her Maggie was still sitting outside in the police car, arrested for their daughter's kidnapping. How this had happened she wasn't sure, but she knew it had to do with Reese and that psycho wasn't about to get away with it. Looking at the clock on the wall, Bianca sighed. _Nine… I can't believe it's been over twelve hours since we found Mimo missing._ She looked up at the ceiling. _Please let my baby be okay. _

Bianca ran her hands through her hair and picked up Maggie's discarded cell phone. _Still no messages… What the hell is going on?_ Bianca was startled from her thoughts as she felt the phone vibrate in her hand signaling a new text message had arrived. All adults in the room turned their head toward the phone questioningly. _9:02 Anna: Where are you in the house?_ Bianca thought it an odd question but responded that they were in the den. After a few minutes had passed and after relaying the newest message to her friends, Bianca felt the phone vibrate again. _9:05 Anna: Good. Lock the door and get everyone into the attached bathroom. We're coming in._ _Text back when safe. _Bianca gasped at the new information.

Kendall quickly stood and walked to her sister. "Is everything alright?" She took the phone from Bianca's hand and read the message. Looking around the room, she whispered, "Anna's coming." Kendall noticed Robin's shocked expression. "Robin, lock the door as quietly as possible. Greenlee, put the kids in the tub."

"Isn't it an odd time for a bath?" Greenlee asked as she lifted her brow in question.

Robin rolled her eyes and whispered. "That's the safest place in the event of a gunfight, Greens."

Shocked, Greenlee responded, "Oh." She quickly stood and ushered the complaining children into the bathroom. "Shh, we'll get back to the movie in a minute. Right now, we're going to play the quiet game."

"Binks, come on." Kendall tried to get her sister to move from her chair. "You've done so well so far; don't shut down on us now." Relieved at Bianca's slight nod, Kendall helped her into the bathroom as Greenlee came back out to help Robin with Leo.

"Leo, baby, wake up." Greenlee whispered as Robin checked his temperature.

Leo stirred and looked into Greenlee's eyes. "Mama, I don't feel so good." Worried at Leo's confusion, Greenlee looked to Robin who frowned.

_Oh dear God… _Robin helped Leo to sit up and inspected his neck, noticing its stiffness. "Alright Leo, let's go." Leo stood from the couch and immediately fell, unable to put weight on his legs. Bianca and Kendall looked on worriedly as Greenlee lifted her Godson into her arms and Robin gathered the pillows and blankets, shutting the door behind them.

"Is he okay?" Bianca whispered as Kendall texted Anna that they were in the bathroom.

Robin bit her lip nervously and shook her head. "We need to get out of here and to the hospital as soon as possible. I'm afraid his symptoms indicate his infection might be meningitis…"

"Oh no, isn't that contagious?" Bianca looked nervously at her daughter.

Kendall frowned, asking Robin skeptically. "And how do you know?"

"She's a neurologist, Kendall, you know, a brain doctor…" Greenlee snipped as she rocked back and forth on the balls and heels of her feet while rubbing Leo's back.

"Okay…" Kendall lifted her hands in defense. "If he's got it, any one of us may have caught it right?"

"It certainly depends. If it was caused by his cancer, no, it is not contagious. But if it is viral or bacterial, yes, then we'd have to get everyone on preventative medication." Robin rubbed her forehead and turned toward the whispering children in the bathtub. "Hey kiddos, how are you guys feeling?"

Spike shrugged. "I'm bored."

Robin smiled. "No, I mean, do any of you feel sick?" The children shook their heads. "Do you feel any pain or like you can't move your neck?" The children once again shook their heads. "Okay, good." Robin turned back to the adults and shrugged. "That's fairly good news. We still need to get everyone checked out, but it looks like the kids don't have any symptoms."

"I can't believe we actually caught a break." Kendall muttered.

"Alright Moreau, the friendlies are on the east side of the house in the den. You have a green light." Anna said and watched one team go around the back of the house and the other go around the front. She walked toward the front door ready to do her part and stopped suddenly, noticing her surrogate daughter passed out in the back of the police car. Anna peered in the front window of the car and noticed the keys in the ignition. She quietly opened the door and retrieved the keys. _Just in case…_ Then she continued her walk to the front door of Bianca's house. She sent a quick text message to Pierre and then rang the doorbell as he simultaneously knocked on the back door.

"Hi, has there been any news on Jamie Martin's condition?" Aiden asked as he nervously tapped his foot at the front desk.

"No, I'm sorry sir. He's still in surgery. We'll let you know as soon as the doctors are finished and can come talk to you."

Aiden nodded in thanks and then walked back toward the chief of police. He noticed the short man hang up his phone quickly with a smile. "Any news?"

The chief nodded his head. "Oui. During the canvassing of the neighborhood near the crash site, Trent and Biset received a credible tip on the car the suspect used to get away from the scene. They're working it now."

"When will we be able to speak to Stewart?"

"He'll be out of recovery in twenty minutes and then we're going to wake him."

What happened in the next few minutes was a blur. The officer opened the front door just as a guard opened the back door. As soon as Anna and Pierre were forced inside at gunpoint, Officer Moreau's team threw in a couple of flashbang grenades disorienting the remaining guards. Officer Martin's team charged in through the back door as Pierre and Anna fought with their opposition. Officer Moreau's team held their position outside as a few guards tried to run, effectively taking them down with tranquilizer rounds. When the smoke had cleared, all enemies were out cold with their wrists and ankles bound with zip ties.

"Alright, let's get them out of here. Raif and Jean will stand guard at the van until we are ready to move out. Martin, set up your team on the perimeter." Officer Moreau turned toward his team. "Take your positions inside." He turned toward Anna and Pierre. "Once we remove this trash, you may retrieve the friendlies." They nodded and moved outside to check on Maggie.

"Thanks for the update… We've got people running down a lead on the car… Will do…" Aiden hung up his phone after talking briefly to his aunt and turned to the chief. "The house is secure."

The chief nodded. "Just got off the phone with forensics… There were two blood samples on the knife, one is Dr. Martin's and the other is unknown. It's being tested now. Also, the blood in the van does indeed belong to Miranda Montgomery." Watching Aiden's expression darken, the chief continued. "We can see Stewart now."

Aiden's eyes lit with fire. "Well, by all means, lead the way sir."

"Maggie?" Anna noticed that blood had pooled on the seat where Maggie's head rested. _That's a nasty cut. _After hearing no response from the young woman, Anna waved smelling salts underneath her nose.

The young woman blinked a few times and recognized the woman holding her freed hand. She gingerly sat up with Anna's help and held her head with both hands. "I thought you'd never get here."

Anna smirked at her surrogate daughter's playful tone. "Yes, well, you know us Brits… We like to make an entrance."

Maggie laughed, but then winced at the pain it had caused in her head. "Did you take care of Reese's minions?"

"Oui, they have been dealt with." Pierre extended his hand. "I'm very sorry for the disloyalty shown by so many Cambias guards. I am the new head of security, Pierre Lestat." He shook hands with Maggie and then nodded to Anna.

"It's time to go inside, but Maggie, I'm going to need you to remain calm. There is a lot of information that needs to be disseminated."

Maggie looked incredulous. "When am I never calm?" At Anna's raised eyebrow, Maggie relented. "Okay, okay."

Aiden watched the man lying in bed squirm under his gaze. Stewart was handcuffed to the bed and had just been rudely pulled from his sleep by the agent. The police chief stood off to the side, content in letting the Brit take care of the interrogation. "Where has Reese taken Miranda?" Aiden watched Stewart shrug and wince in pain. "Why is Reese after Maggie?" Getting no response, Aiden stepped closer and casually placed his hand on the man's recently bandaged gunshot wound. "Who else's blood was on the knife?" Stewart smirked slightly and grunted. "Quit playing around!" Aiden shouted as he leaned harder on the man's chest causing machines in the room to start beeping erratically. "Why is Reese doing this?"

Stewart panted, sweat dripping from his forehead, his body being taxed as his face reddened and he released his anger. "Because she's a f**king bitch! Why else?" He felt Aiden shift his elbow, his pain increasing with every beep of the machines beside him. Panicking, Stewart's words rushed from his mouth. "The blood on the knife is mine! Reese stabbed me! She said not to clean it so I could infect Dr. Martin when I stabbed him!"

"Wait, what? Infect him with what?" Aiden asked, indicating he would increase the pressure on the man's chest if he refused to respond.

Stewart breathed hard and fast. "I've got HCV!" At Aiden's questioning look, he explained further, "Hepatitis C! It destroys the liver." His chest heaved rapidly as he breathed. "Reese didn't want him to be able to do Leo's transplant."

Aiden clenched his jaw and scowled. "And why the Hell not? What the f**k does Reese have against Maggie?" He lifted his elbow and then smashed it back into Stewart's chest.

"Miranda started asking about her! Reese is crazy possessive! She thinks Bianca's f-feelings for the d-doctor are the re-reason she wanted a d-divorce. We've been watching her f-for a year and a half." Stewart struggled to breathe under the pressure of Aiden's weight, but still found the strength to grin evilly. "We've even been switching out her kid's meds! Dr. Stone will pay for coming between Reese and her family! Fitting that we'll take her family away too…"

"Oh Hell no! Where are Reese and Miranda?" Aiden shouted as his stomach churned at Stewart's words and he leaned harder against his elbow.

"I don't know! She won't hurt Miranda! She just needed the diversion to set things in motion!" Stewart coughed. "She's supposed to drop the girl off at Bianca's at midnight! That's all I know! I swear!"

"Girls, you can come out now!" Anna yelled at the door to the den. She heard a rush of feet and then the door was yanked open. "The house is secure." Anna said frowning at the women's worried faces. "Come on into the living room. We've got a lot to talk about."

Bianca noticed Pierre standing to the side and motioned him over to the door. "Please keep an eye on the children. They want to finish the movie and it's probably best they not join this conversation."

"Yes ma'am." Pierre responded and motioned for a female guard to accompany him to the den.

Bianca looked questioningly at Greenlee and Robin. "What about Leo?"

Greenlee rubbed her Godson's back as she had been doing since picking him up. "He's sleeping now so he's coming with us." She nodded to Robin who then handed Bianca the sheet and pillow the little boy had been using, indicating the need to wash them. Bianca nodded and tossed the items into the garage as they passed it on the way to the living room.

"Maggie!" Robin exclaimed as she saw the woman getting her face cleaned by one of the officers. Noticing the cut on her cheekbone, Robin gasped. "That's going to need stitches. Let me go get my medical bag real quick." She rushed out the front door, a guard trailing behind her.

"We'll wait for Robin to return before I give you the updates. Please take a seat." Anna said quietly. She knew these women and she was not looking forward to their reactions to the information she had to give them. _Thank God Erica isn't here! _Anna was startled from her thoughts by the ringing of her phone. She held a finger up to the women indicating she would only be a minute. "Damn it!" She hissed as she ended the call. "I'll be right back." She walked into the den and pulled Pierre out for a moment explaining the phone call.

"Yes ma'am." Pierre turned to a guard standing near the kitchen. "Dalton, I need you to help Annette with the children. I have an urgent matter to discuss with the officers in charge." The guard nodded and assumed his new post as Pierre rushed out the back door to find Officers Moreau and Martin.

Anna walked back into the living room to curious stares. She was saved from 'The Kane Inquisition' as Robin rushed back into the house with her bag. As Robin proceeded to dress Maggie's wound, Anna took a deep breath and sat in the chair by the fireplace where she had a view of all the women. "Rule number one, no one leaves this room until all the information is on the table. I have a lot to tell you and some of it is not good news." It was the first time she had seen the Kane women, as well as Greenlee and Maggie, at a loss for words. She took that as a good sign to continue. "Rule number two, don't kill the messenger and try to remain calm… I don't even know where to begin…" Anna leaned on her elbows which were resting on her knees. "The accident Jamie got called in for involved the van Reese was using to transport Miranda."

"Oh my God! Is my baby okay?"

"Maggie, don't jerk your head like that! I almost stuck the needle in your eye!"

"Well I can't help it if your mother sucks at giving us news!"

"She told us not to freak out! Kendall, honey, sit back down!"

"Anna…"

"The driver is the one that needed surgery. Reese and Miranda were not on site when the police arrived. They did find blood and it has been confirmed that it was Miranda's, however, a witness confirmed that neither showed serious signs of injury."

"Thank God…"

"Yes, well, the driver wasn't so lucky. After he survived surgery, Stewart walked in on Jamie talking to him and shot him. Jamie ran after Stewart and that's when he was stabbed."

"Maggie! What did I tell you?"

"Anna, is he okay?"

"From what Aiden has told me, Jamie is still in surgery. The damage was extensive and he lost a lot of blood, so we won't know until he's in recovery. And as for Stewart, well Aiden shot him and then gave him hell when he woke up. Unfortunately the knife Stewart used was also tainted with a serious virus. The doctors will have to run some tests when Jamie gets out of surgery."

Anna watched Robin put away her suture kit as Maggie bent over leaning on her knees, her head in her hands. Bianca and Kendall held hands and Greenlee held Leo a little bit tighter. "It was all planned to happen this way, well mostly this way. We found evidence that Reese has had Maggie and her family under surveillance for over a year. Stewart confirmed that Reese wanted him to infect Jamie so he couldn't help Leo." Anna watched all eyes turn to Greenlee and her Godson. "He also confirmed that Reese is after Maggie and not Bianca."

"Why the Hell would she be after Maggie?"

Anna glanced at Maggie and then looked at Bianca, answering her question, "Stewart indicated that her motive is simple possessiveness. When Miranda started asking about Maggie again, she thought she was losing you and she blames Maggie for your divorce."

"That's absolutely ridiculous!"

"Well, Reese doesn't think so. Stewart confirmed that she wants to destroy Maggie's family because in her mind, Maggie is the bad guy who destroyed Reese's relationship with you, her relationship with your children." Anna watched Maggie clench and unclench her fists. She could see the fire in her eyes and was glad that she had backup close by; however, she seriously considered leaving out the worst information of all. She watched Maggie shrug away Robin's comforting hand and then looked intently at her grandson.

"She's psycho!" Kendall exclaimed as she stood again. "What about Miranda?"

"Apparently, Miranda was just a diversion so Reese could put her plan into action. She's supposed to drop her off here at midnight and we'll have the place surrounded. Pierre's working with Moreau and Martin to set it up. She's not getting away with this."

"Reese is NOT that smart, obviously since she's coming back to the house, but…" Bianca trailed off.

"Stewart has been involved in this from the beginning..." Anna sighed, still staring at her grandson.

"Mom…" Robin watched her mother's sad eyes linger on her nephew. "What else aren't you telling us?"

All except Maggie looked at Anna and watched a single tear slide down her cheek as she nodded. The Brit took a deep breath and responded on exhale, "They've been switching Leo's meds."

"Oh my God…" Robin ran her hand through her hair as she heard Bianca gasp and watched Maggie whip her head up to look at her son. Kendall's eyes showed an intense fury as she looked to the little boy in her partner's arms and noticed the silent tears falling from Greenlee's eyes. "Maggie, Leo's doctor texted that his biopsy and LP were positive. And Leo's been showing signs that the infection he might be fighting is meningitis." She watched Maggie clasp her hand over her mouth in horror. "Mom, we need to get to the hospital to get Leo and everyone else checked out."

"Alright… I want everyone in two cars. We'll go to Jamie's so we can check in on him too."

"No, we need to go to Children's. That's where Leo's doctors are."

"We need to get checked out too Maggie…" Bianca said softly pointing to the other adults in the room.

Maggie gave Bianca a small smile that didn't meet her eyes. "I know. I'll make sure we get tended to in addition to the children."

"Alright then, I'll follow in a police car with some officers and guards." Anna noticed Bianca's slight hesitance in standing from the couch. "We'll be back before midnight, don't worry."


	8. Chapter 8

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 8:**

"Come on kids, let's go!" Kendall yelled as she watched Spike, Ian, and Gabrielle climb into the back of the rental van. "Bianca?" Seeing her sister shake her head, Kendall nodded. Leo was already awake again, clinging tightly to his mother and crying in pain. She knew Bianca wanted to be there for Maggie and that Gabby would be better off with her cousins. Kendall walked over to Robin's car and pulled her off to the side. "Emma can ride with us if you want. I know Leo's condition is upsetting. I can only imagine how the kids are feeling. I was thinking maybe it would be good to keep them together?"

Robin nodded. "Yeah, that's a good idea." She looked at Maggie trying to soothe her son and then saw Bianca wrap her arm around the shorter woman. "You know what? I'm going to ride with you guys too." She nodded toward the ex-lovers. "I think they need some time."

Kendall nodded in agreement. "Hey Binks, you go ahead and drive. Robin's coming with us." At Bianca's wave, Kendall turned back to Robin. "Might as well get some use out of this mini-van…" She rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Mini-van… the nerve!"

* * *

Aiden paced back and forth in front of Jamie's hospital room. The doctor had finally explained his friend's condition and Aiden knew that he needed to make some phone calls. He stopped pacing and stared through the window at his friend. _So many machines in there… _Aiden couldn't believe what he was seeing. His friend was in trouble and there was nothing he could do. Shaking his head, Aiden looked down at the phone in his hand and stared at the contact on the screen. He sighed and brought the phone to his ear. The ringing stopped and Aiden took a deep breath before he spoke. "Hi Tad, it's Aiden."

Tad Martin was surprised to hear his old friend's voice. "Hey man, did you decide to take me up on our offer for Thanksgiving?"

Aiden smiled at the thought of the American holiday and the times he had spent it with his friends in Pine Valley watching football and getting stuffed full of delicious food. _Unfortunately, this Thanksgiving is going to have to be spent in Paris… for everyone…_ "No, that's not why I'm calling. Are you sitting down?"

"What's going on, Aiden?"

The Brit looked at Jamie's still form with sadness, emotion filling his voice, Aiden choked out, "Jamie's in the hospital."

"What?"

"There's some crazy shit going down over here and he was stabbed. He's out of surgery now, but he's still in critical condition…"

Tad slumped in his chair and rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh my God, Aiden, how did this happen?"

* * *

Spike and Ian turned in their seats and looked at the giggling girls on the bench seat in the back. Their parents were outside removing Gabrielle and Emma's booster seats from the other cars. The boys joined in the laughter as Ian exclaimed, "My favorite part was when Mr. Potato Head was a tortilla!"

After the laughter died down, Spike looked out the open door at his Aunt Bianca. He knew his brother and the girls didn't quite understand what was going on, but he did and was worried about Miranda and his new friend. Spike turned back to the girls with a frown on his face. "Emma, is Leo always so sick?"

Emma nodded and frowned. "Yeah, he's been sick since we were really little. Sometimes it's really scary."

"Why's it so scary?" Gabrielle asked confused.

Emma looked down at her hands and shrugged. "He had to have this surgery once where they had to shave his head. My mom said they had to put something in his head to give him medicine, but it was scary because you could actually see it and the scar was really big and gross. He had to stay in the hospital for a really long time, but then Uncle Jamie came home." Emma smiled brightly. "Leo got a lot better after that."

Spike accepted the information but made a mental note to ask his mother about what was going on. He really liked Leo and didn't want to see him feel so bad. He looked back to Emma and smiled slightly. "Well then, I think Uncle Jamie will help him feel better soon." Deciding a change in subject was in order, Spike looked at his cousin. "Hey Gabby, what was your favorite part of the movie?"

* * *

"Just take my car since I'm blocking everyone in." Robin shouted as she hurried off to Kendall's rental. Bianca caught the keys Robin tossed her way and frowned at Maggie. "It only has two seats though." Bianca noticed Maggie's far off look and watched the older woman shrug her shoulders in response. "Alright then, let's go." She said as she held the car door open for her old friend.

After helping Maggie and Leo into the front passenger seat, Bianca got in the driver's seat and started the car. They drove in silence for the first few minutes until the younger woman's guilt finally overflowed. Bianca glanced at her old friend and tried to fight the tears that surfaced. Maggie was holding her son close to her chest, rubbing his back and whispering soothing words into his ear. Leo's cries had finally subsided and Bianca could only assume that the little boy was asleep again. As Bianca watched silent tears fall from Maggie's eyes, she slid her hand over to Maggie's and grasped it comfortingly. "Maggie, I'm so sorry… This is all my fault."

Maggie shifted in her seat and turned toward Bianca, shaking her head. "Don't you dare say that. There's no way you could have known that this would happen."

Trying to pull her hand away but getting resistance from her old friend, Bianca closed her eyes as she stopped at the intersection and shook her head. "But I SHOULD have! My wife has been obsessed with you for a year! Leo's cancer has spread because of her! She never would have gotten any of this accomplished without the Cambias money and influence!" She turned to look pleadingly into Maggie's eyes. "It's my fault! Maggie, I am so sorry! I had no idea-"

Maggie squeezed the ivory hand in hers and frowned. "Bianca, stop. Remember when Jon-"

"How could I forget?" At the sound of horns honking, Bianca made her way through the intersection toward the hospital.

Maggie nodded. "Right. Well, you taking responsibility for Reese's actions and her psychopathic reasons for those actions is just like me taking responsibility for Jon and all he did to us. You told me not to blame myself back then and I'm telling you not to blame yourself now. Bianca, you had nothing to do with this." After another few minutes of silence, they parked at the hospital, Maggie stopping Bianca from getting out of the car with a gentle squeeze of her hand. "No one blames you. My family doesn't and neither do I."

Nodding her head, Bianca sighed. "Once I get Miranda back, she's not coming anywhere near OUR family again!"

Maggie smiled slightly at Bianca's admission and the determination she once fell in love with and nodded in acknowledgement. The smile quickly faded as she saw the silent tears fall from Bianca's eyes and heard Leo whimper in his sleep. Taking a deep breath and steeling her expression, Maggie furrowed her brow. Frowning, her voice shaky, she spoke in a low tone, "You don't have to worry about that, Bianca." Maggie watched her old friend tilt her head in question and then she finished her thought in a menacing tone, "I'm gonna kill the bitch."

* * *

Kendall turned the key in the ignition and looked in the rearview mirror at Robin. "Tell Patrick to be at Pine Valley Airport in an hour. He can hitch a ride with Erica."

Robin nodded and smiled sincerely, "Thanks Kendall." She placed her phone to her ear and waited for her husband to answer.

"Of course, we're all family now." Kendall acknowledged as her eyes locked briefly with Robin's. She turned toward Greenlee as the shorter woman scrolled through the contacts in her cell phone. "Baby?" Greenlee looked up from her phone and wiped the tears from her eyes. "You'll let Ryan and Jackson know to meet at the jet in an hour?" Greenlee nodded as she felt her partner gently squeeze her hand in comfort.

* * *

Robin looked out the window as Kendall followed Bianca out of the driveway. She absentmindedly brushed Emma's hair from her forehead as she listened to her husband shuffle back and forth on the other end of the line.

"I can't believe all that has happened since the last time we spoke! Who would do something so horrible?" Patrick exclaimed as he threw his clothes into a bag on the bed.

Robin frowned. "I guess you're not the only one with a crazy ex." She sighed as she closed her eyes in regret. "I'm sorry, I'm just-"

"I know babe, it's okay." Patrick zipped up his bag and spoke quickly into the phone. "I packed another bag for you and Emma since we don't know how long we'll be out of town. You just hang in there, baby, and I'll be there as fast as that little Kane can fly." He chuckled as he imagined the smirk on his wife's face.

"Thanks, and honey, please be careful. I love you."

"I will and I love you too." Patrick ended the call as he tied down the bags to his motorcycle and took off for Pine Valley.

* * *

"Hi honey!" Jackson greeted his daughter.

"Hi Dad…" Greenlee couldn't keep her sour tone from her voice.

Worried, Jackson began to pace. "Is everything alright? I went by the house today to drop off the turkey but it felt like a ghost town over there. Where are you?"

"We're in Paris, Dad." Greenlee hurried to continue so her father wouldn't interrupt. She only had enough energy to explain the situation once. "Reese kidnapped Miranda but it turned out to not be about Bianca but about Maggie and Reese decided it was a good idea to f**k up Maggie's life by basically poisoning Leo and Jamie's in critical condition because Bianca's head of security stabbed him because he's working with Reese and-"

Jackson sat down and put his head in his hands. "Whoa, Greenlee, calm down. Take a deep breath." He heard his daughter slowly breathe in and then exhale. "Can you slow down and give me the specifics?"

Greenlee heard Kendall whisper-shout into her own phone and gave her a small frown as she turned her way. She knew that they both were sporting the same lost expression on their faces. "No Dad, I can't, it's… God, it's too much!" Greenlee sniffled and took another deep breath. "Look, Robin's husband is going to meet you guys at Pine Valley Airport in about an hour and he can tell you all about what's been going on. His name is Patrick and Robin's been in contact with him for most of the day. She's here too. It's a complete mess, Dad… Erica is going to need you, so is Bianca, oh what the Hell am I saying? I need you!"

Jackson stood and quickly walked to his room to gather some belongings into a suitcase. "Alright, honey. It's going to be okay. Miranda's going to be okay. And Maggie's a fighter so that means your Godson is one Hell of a fighter too. I know how much they mean to you. They mean just as much to me. I love you sweetheart and I will be there soon."

* * *

"Zach, I'm sorry, okay! I didn't know anything then and by the time I did, those bastards had us locked down!" Kendall hissed into the phone.

Zach sighed on the other end of the line. "You're right, Kendall, I'm sorry for overreacting. I'm just worried about all of you." He rubbed the back of his neck as he threw clothes haphazardly into his suitcase. "We may have been good friends once, but that bitch is going down. No one messes with my family!"

Kendall gasped at the tone her ex-husband used, surprised at the venom that laced his words. "Gabrielle is okay and Miranda will be back in Bianca's arms soon enough."

Zach's Irish accent filtered through the phone as he zipped up his suitcase. "And what about Maggie and her son? What about Jamie? Just because we've drifted apart from them… God Kendall, have you forgotten-"

"Of course not! I know, Zach, I know! They're just as much a part of this dysfunctional family as anybody else!" Kendall whispered emphatically into the phone. She looked to her side to see Greenlee give her a small frown faring slightly better with her own phone call. She rubbed her forehead and sighed. "Look Zach, just-"

"I'm getting in the car now." Zach sighed as he threw his suitcase onto the passenger's seat. "Hey, Kendall, we're going to get through this. Reese is not that smart… there has to be something she missed in all of this. We'll find it and everything, everyone, is going to be okay." He heard Kendall mumble in agreement and turned the ignition. "I'll be there soon, sweetheart."

* * *

"Why is Bianca just sitting there?" Anna exclaimed in frustration and leaned over the driver to honk the horn. "We need to get moving!" She redialed the number for the contact on her screen and cursed under her breath when it went straight to voicemail again. "Damn it David! Where the Hell are you?" She ended the call forcefully and ran her hands through her hair. Taking a deep breath, Anna looked at Tad's number on her phone and decided that even if Aiden had already called the man, she too needed to talk to her friend. She listened to the ringing for a few moments when Tad finally answered. "I wish I were calling under better circumstances, old friend."

"I know, Anna. I spoke with Aiden. We're getting the Chandler jet fueled right now and we'll be in the air shortly."

Anna sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. JR is coming with you, I presume."

"Yes, of course. You know he and Jamie have gotten very close over the last few years. He's bringing AJ and Brooke's coming too." Tad rubbed the stress from his eyes. "A regular family affair…"

"Well, hopefully we'll have more news when you get here. FYI, Erica and the rest of her clan are on their way too."

Tad frowned and responded sarcastically, "The more the merrier."

* * *

Sighing, Kendall finally dialed the one person she had dreaded since arriving in Paris. Hearing the line pick up on the other end, she took a calming breath and greeted Reese's worst nightmare. "Hello, Mother."

Erica Kane flipped her hair and sat down on the couch in her bedroom with a flourish. "Kendall, what a pleasant surprise! I didn't think I'd hear from you for the next few days with all the cooking you have to do for your first Thanksgiving at the new house." The tiny woman waved her free hand in the air absentmindedly. "Oh! Have you heard from Bianca? I've been trying to get a hold of her but you know how busy she gets. I hope she's still coming-"

Kendall pinched the bridge of her nose as she interrupted the commanding diva. "That's why I'm calling, Mother. Start packing. We're in Paris and there are quite a few men at the airport waiting for you to bring them here as well."

Shocked, Erica huffed. "Excuse me? What are you talking about, Kendall?"

* * *

Once off the phone with her father, Greenlee sighed and brought up the number for her ex-husband. At his overenthusiastic greeting, she cleared her throat to part with the anger that arose within. "Ryan, hey, we need you to meet Erica at the airport. You're leaving for Paris in an hour."

Confused, Ryan quirked his brow. "What exactly is going on over there?"

Greenlee gave her ex-husband the same overview she had given her father indicating that he would have to find out more when he met Patrick.

"What the Hell, Greenlee? How's Spike?" Ryan ran his free hand through his hair and rushed to his closet to find a duffle bag.

"He's worried about his cousin and his new friend, but other than that, he's fine, but it would be really helpful to have you here with us." Unable to keep the emotion from her voice, Greenlee whispered, "Ryan, it's a mess here and it's really bad. Please-"

The tall man stopped throwing clothes in his bag as he heard his ex-wife struggle to keep it together. "Hey, shh, it's going to be okay. We all may have had our differences over the years but when it matters, we're still just one big dysfunctional family. The rest of us will be there soon and we'll figure it out. Just hang in there."

* * *

"What the Hell, Bianca!" Kendall honked her horn as she was torn from her discussion with her mother by the honking police car behind her. Distracted, Kendall barely heard her mother yell into the phone demanding to know what had happened. "What- oh, no, she's fine. She just spaced out I guess. Her and Maggie were just sitting at the intersection when we clearly need to be at the hospital!"

* * *

Arriving at the airport in record time, Zach pulled out his cell phone and phoned a very old friend.

"Alejandro! It's been too long."

"Sonny, you know I hate it when you use that name."

"Exactly why I use it, my friend." The mob boss smirked as he played with the ring on his right hand. "I assume this isn't a social call?"

Zach shook his head at his friend's eagerness to get down to business. "You're right. I need assistance… the kind only you can provide, Sonny."

* * *

"Thank God my little Miranda is okay! Call me as soon as she's back in Bianca's arms!"

"Mother, that's not the whole story!"

Erica wheeled her luggage to the foyer where her driver was waiting. "Honey, I'll find out the rest from this Patrick character. Please just be there for your sister. She's going to have a hard time now that Maggie is back."

Annoyed at her mother's implication, Kendall sighed in exasperation, hissing her next words. "Mother! I'll tell you what Aiden told me… give Maggie a break! Yes, Bianca is going to be in bad shape, but Mag-"

Erica climbed into the limo and pinched the bridge of her nose at her daughter's jumping to conclusions. "I remember, Kendall. I still care about Maggie too and I certainly don't want any harm to come to her family! And I'd like to think that still includes us in some crazy fashion." As the limo drove off to the airport, Erica decided an end to the conversation was needed before either woman got even more worked up. "Sweetheart, take it easy. I'm not Erica Kane for nothing! We'll take care of it and everything will be fine."

Kendall pulled into the hospital parking lot and watched the interaction between her sister and Maggie. The tiny woman rolled back and forth on her feet lightly bouncing her son as he clung to her neck. Before she knew what was happening, tears found their way down her cheeks and she exhaled the breath of air she hadn't realize she'd been holding. Returning to the call, Kendall's voice filled with emotion, "Mother, I don't think even Erica Kane can do anything to stop Reese's destruction."


	9. Chapter 9

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 9:**

Sonny Corinthos paced back and forth as he silently seethed while listening to his old friend tell him why he needed his help. "Zach, stop."

The use of the man's name startled Zach temporarily. They had known each other since Zach Slater had been Alexander Cambias, Jr. and Sonny still liked to tease him at times. It seemed Sonny just couldn't bring himself to do so under the current circumstances any longer.

Yanking his office door open, Sonny yelled for his right hand man to join him. Jason Morgan rushed into the office at the sound of his boss' voice. Rarely was Sonny anything but calm and it worried the younger man. They had a unique relationship. At times they were like brothers, best friends, and then sometimes the older man treated Jason like his son, his employee. It didn't bother Jason though. The depth of their trust and loyalty to each other was enough to prove they both knew that they were each other's permanent family.

Hitting the speaker button on his cell phone, Sonny placed it on his desk and rubbed his face with both of his hands. "We've got some news. Continue, Zach." As the man on the other end of the line proceeded to recap the events going on in Paris, Sonny watched the younger man standing before him and noticed the clenched jaw, the tight fists hanging by his side, the fire in his eyes… Sonny felt the exact same way. They wanted blood. _No one messes with my family!_ And that's just who Zach and Maggie were to him. He and Zach had a long history together and when his old friend's family was threatened that meant that Sonny's family was being threatened as well.

Maggie was a slightly different story though. He had come to care for her and Leo because they were Robin's family and he loved that young woman like a daughter. He and Jason had met the young mother when Emma had been born. They were both immediately entranced by the young doctor who quickly became a part of their lives. And Leo… Leo was a light in their dark world. Every time he and his mother would visit Port Charles, both Sonny and Jason lit up at the little boy's spirit, at times forgetting their harsh mob personas and lifting him into their arms to shower him with love and attention. "This woman has just f**ked with the wrong family!" Sonny exclaimed as he removed his pistol from his desk.

Shook from his thoughts, Jason realized what Sonny was planning. "No, Sonny, you can't leave the country, remember?"

The older man rubbed his chin and unceremoniously dropped his gun back into his desk drawer, slamming it shut. His eyes full of fire and determination, Sonny exhaled loudly and spoke with hate in his voice, "Fine. Zach, don't talk to anyone else about this. Jason will be in Paris soon, but the two of you cannot make contact."

Zach nodded as he saw Ryan's car pull into the airline hangar. "Understood. The last thing we need is to draw unnecessary attention."

"Right. Jason, you'll contact Aiden and get the details from him. Once it's done, I want you out."

Jason ran his hand through his hair in exasperation. "What about Maggie?"

Slumping in his chair, Sonny sighed. "I know you want to be there for her and Leo, but we don't need the authorities connecting your name to the hit. This bitch cannot be allowed to torture anyone else again."

"You're right. I'll keep a low profile." Jason looked at the phone on the desk. "Zach, I'll be in the air within a couple of hours. You'll let Maggie and Robin know that we're thinking of them?"

Zach retrieved his suitcase and slammed the car door. "Of course. I've gotta go. The cavalry is starting to show up."

* * *

Standing in the middle of the hospital lobby, Maggie held Leo tightly to her chest. Never in her life did Maggie think she would be in such a position to watch her son suffer at the hands of a madwoman. She just hoped and prayed that Stewart was wrong with his information. After the struggle to overcome his leukemia three years prior, she thought they were in the clear since Leo had gone into remission and with most cases, about eighty percent of them, that usually meant the child was cured. _Of course we're the minority…_ Maggie rubbed her son's back again as she walked toward the man who approached the group. "Dr. Mannheim…"

The older doctor nodded his head in greeting and noticed the group of women and children behind his colleague. "We could have done the MRI tomorrow, Dr. Stone."

Maggie shook her head. "No, Michel, there have been some… developments." She proceeded to explain Leo's symptoms and the possibility that he hadn't received the correct medication for some time as they walked toward an exam room. "We've all been around him today and we're worried that he might have meningitis…"

After briefly examining the little boy, Dr. Mannheim nodded. "That is certainly a possibility, Maggie. However, with his cancer already having spread to the central nervous system, it's also a possibility that these symptoms are just from that. We'll do another LP, blood tests, and an MRI so we can see what we're dealing with…" He grabbed a handful of masks and handed them out to the group before him. "We'll take some blood, but I'd rather avoid having to put you all through lumbar punctures unless it is necessary. For now, just wear the masks and wait in here while I get Leo's room set up with some extra cots and chairs." He watched the adults nod as Maggie helped Leo off the exam table.

Whispering, Leo pulled on his mother's shirt as she placed him in the wheelchair, "Mama..."

Maggie looked into her son's tired and unfocused eyes. It broke her heart to know that Leo no longer had the energy to be his usual six-year old self, so full of life and child-like wonder. She momentarily choked on her words having to clear her throat, "Yes, sweetheart?"

The little boy looked around the room at his new friends talking amongst themselves and caught eyes with his Godmother. "Can Aunt Greenie come with us?"

Taken back by the request, Maggie looked at her dear friend with questioning eyes. She noticed Kendall whisper in Greenlee's ear and then received a nod in response. "Of course, honey." Maggie leaned forward and kissed her son on his forehead. As Greenlee pushed the wheelchair out of the room with Dr. Mannheim following close behind, Maggie hesitated and looked back to the room. "Um… We'll see you in a bit when they take him for his MRI." Unable to look at the worried faces of her friends and family any longer, Maggie quickly left the room to follow her son.

* * *

Robin watched the four children huddled together in the corner looking at books. It seemed that they were unaffected by what was going on, but she feared that wasn't the case. She had seen the fear in Spike's eyes as Leo had been wheeled out of the room and hoped the other children weren't as aware as the eight-year old. She would have to talk to Kendall and Bianca soon. They needed to figure out what they were going to tell the children about everything that was happening.

Robin sighed as she looked for her mother. _She must be outside with the officers. They weren't really around Leo to potentially get infected_. Robin closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath as she thought of all the possibilities, all the things that could go wrong. She shook her head to rid the negative thoughts and briefly watched Kendall and Bianca with their heads together by the exam table whispering. She pulled out her cell phone and stared at the number on the screen. Robin needed to call him… but she also didn't want him to do anything stupid, which was a definite possibility with how much she knew he cared for Maggie and Leo. Resigning herself to make the call, Robin walked toward the farthest corner of the room away from the rest of the group and waited for her friend to answer.

"Hey, sweetheart…"

Robin made sure to keep her voice low as she spoke with the man on the other end of the line. "Sonny…" She sighed. "I have bad news…"

The older man sat at his desk staring at the most recent photo of his family. Maggie and Leo, even Jamie, had come in for the big birthday bash Robin had thrown for him just seven months ago. Everyone he cared about had been there and they were able to snap an impromptu photo of the unlikely group. Sonny wondered if he should tell Robin he already knew what was going on. _It would certainly save her the grief of explaining…_ Not wanting to upset the woman any further, he made the decision to tell her that Zach had informed him of the situation. However, he vowed not to reveal their plans for the monster that had wreaked so much havoc already.

* * *

Bianca looked at her watch nervously. She didn't want to miss being there for her daughter at midnight and time was certainly flying by as they waited in the exam room. She heard Gabrielle and Emma giggle at something in a book they were looking at and Bianca was glad her youngest was able to make a new friend in all of the chaos that had broken out. She noticed Robin staring at her cell phone and realized that she hadn't thought to call anyone. Pulling out her cell phone, she was stopped by her sister placing a hand on her wrist.

"Hang on, baby sis, Greenlee and I made all the necessary phone calls." At her sister's relieved expression, Kendall smiled slightly. "Everyone is on their way."

Bianca whispered in response, "Thanks, Ken. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you hear with me!"

Kendall quickly wrapped her younger sister in a tight embrace. "Hey, shh, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm just so worried… I'd feel a lot better if I had Miranda in this room with us."

Pulling away, Kendall kissed her sister's forehead. "I know, Bianca, but she'll be with us soon. And then we won't have to split our focus." Kendall knew that Bianca had been struggling over who to worry about. She had been too. She needed her niece back in her sister's arms, but she also knew how much Leo meant to her partner and it was breaking her heart to see Greenlee in so much pain. Not to mention it was breaking her heart to see Maggie so torn up, especially since the doctor had become a part of Kendall's life again some years back. Kendall wasn't sure if Maggie thought of it that way, but the older Kane could never forget what the doctor had done for her family.

Kendall owed her heart to Maggie. The doctor had saved Ian's life when Zach had been visiting Port Charles one weekend. Kendall hadn't seen Maggie since the fated Satin Slayer commotion, but Zach had run into the doctor upon arriving at the same hotel and Kendall thanked God every day that he did. Having been left alone, Ian had fallen into the pool. When Zach came back with his forgotten cell phone, Maggie was soaking wet and performing CPR. Zach had been so scared that he hadn't thought to let Kendall know of the incident until after they returned home and although she had been upset, the relieved feeling of having her son in her arms won out. She remembered wanting to contact the doctor to express her thanks and to apologize for her actions years before, but she had been afraid and ultimately decided that it was best for Zach to nurture the friendship he and Maggie had begun that weekend without her interference. And now, Kendall hoped and prayed that someone would save Maggie's heart.

Sighing at her sister's silence, Kendall rubbed her back comfortingly. She noticed that Bianca seemed willing to accept the doctor into her life again, whatever capacity to be determined later, and in amidst of all the tragedy that made Kendall very happy. She didn't care anymore about past heartache. Maggie was a good friend to her family and that was good enough for her.

* * *

"He's in bad shape, Anna. The doc said the next forty-eight hours is critical. They almost lost him twice during surgery and they've already had to use the paddles since he got to his room." Aiden sat in the chair beside Jamie's bed, leaning on his knees with his head in his hands as he spoke with his aunt. "I know we've seen our share of evil, but why now? Why Jamie? He's been nothing but a great friend and father. And why Leo? He's just an innocent little kid. How could a person do something that heinous?" With sad eyes, he looked up at Jamie's prone form as the machines helped him to breathe. "I can't even comprehend that kind of hatred… My God, Anna, how is Maggie-"

Anna leaned her head against the wall of the hospital hallway with closed eyes as she interrupted, "She's a fighter. She's going to get through this. And hopefully, we'll have a couple of Thanksgiving miracles."

Aiden nodded his head. "If anyone's due a miracle, it's Maggie with that Stone luck of hers…" Looking at the writing board with the doctor and nurse information, he noticed the date and sighed. "You know, the anniversary of Frankie's death is in three days…"

Anna snapped her eyes open and looked at the date on her watch. "Oh my God… as if everything else isn't enough..." She rubbed her forehead in thought. "Oh and isn't that just perfect… that's Thanksgiving too."

* * *

"You think Leo will want to play catch when we get there?" AJ asked his father excitedly.

JR stood next to his son's seat and looked out the window at the sea below. Avoiding eye contact, he kept his voice light and even, "I dunno buddy, that game might be a bit too much for him." He turned around and noticed his son's disappointment. "Hey, I bet he'd love to play one of your favorite video games though." AJ smiled and nodded as his father scruffed up his hair and went back to playing his Xbox.

Tad waited for JR to be out of earshot of AJ and a sleeping Brooke before he spoke, "We're going to have to talk to him about-"

Frowning, JR interrupted in a hushed voice, "We don't even know what's going on!" He ran his hand over the back of his head and sighed. "This is a long flight. Things could change." Closing his eyes, JR slumped down in his chair and prayed for his family. _They have to…_

_

* * *

_"Alright, let's get that blood drawn!" The nurse exclaimed excitedly as she walked into the exam room. The shocked faces of children and annoyed faces of adults she received in response did not damper her mood. She set her supplies and paperwork down on the exam table and turned to address the adults who had gathered around. "Since we're going to have to draw blood anyway, Dr. Mannheim would like your consent to test each sample for a possible donor match to the patient."

"His name is Leo." Robin said through clenched teeth. Even though she was a doctor and knew the nurse was only trying to remain detached, Robin did not appreciate the horrid bedside manner.

"Right…" The nurse looked away and busied herself with her supplies, handing out the consent forms. "There is no obligation to go through with the procedure should a match present itself, but the doctor would like to get this out of the way so he can weigh all of his treatment options."

"Well of course we'd go through with it! What a horrible thing to say…" Kendall exclaimed as she placed her hands on her hips prepared to enter Kane-mode.

Bianca hid her smile as she brushed off her sister and apologized to the nurse. "Go ahead and do the tests."

The nurse slapped her surgical glove as she put it on. "Who first?"


	10. Chapter 10

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 10:**

**

* * *

**Tears in her eyes and determination in her voice, Maggie shut the door behind the retreating doctors taking Leo for his MRI and swiftly turned to face her dearest friend, "I'm gonna kill her!" She furiously paced back and forth in front of the hospital room door.

"I know you're upset-"

Maggie whipped her head around in Greenlee's direction, interrupting her, "Oh this goes WAY beyond upset! Try devastated! ENRAGED!"

Greenlee was glad her friend was finally releasing some of those pent up emotions, but she was also a little worried at the look in Maggie's eyes. It scared her. _I guess it's true what they say about a lion when her cubs are in danger…_ "Honey, I'm with you. Hell, we all are! We've got like half of Pine Valley on their way here."

Maggie could see that her friend's lips were moving and somewhere deep inside she knew what the woman had said, but in that very moment she couldn't hear a thing. All she could hear was the blood rushing in her ears. She grabbed her head with her hands, covering her ears, and growled viciously. "That – bitch – is – dead."

"Mags, sweetie, take a breath." Greenlee's eyes had grown wide at her friend's behavior and cautiously walked forward.

Maggie whipped her head up and started pacing again. "I CAN'T BREATHE! For God's sake, I'm a doctor! How did this happen? And in my own f**king hospital!" She ran her fingers haphazardly through her hair. "I couldn't kill Michael Cambias, but I'll be damn sure I follow through this time!"

Greenlee was taken aback by Maggie's mention of the horrible man from their past. Remembering the intensity of the tiny woman's resolve during that time, Greenlee quickly reached her friend. Placing her hands on Maggie's shoulders, she looked into intense eyes. "Mags! We don't even know if Stewart was telling the truth. You told me yourself that leukemia in the central nervous system is treatable, damn near curable in most cases."

Maggie furrowed her brow and shrugged out of Greenlee's hold. She clenched and unclenched her fists as she walked to the window. Rage and sorrow filling her voice, Maggie slammed her hand against the window as she responded, "Yeah, it is, but Leo's been on maintenance therapy for the last year and a half to PREVENT the spread of those cells to the CNS! Now they're there. It makes sense that Reese changed the medication! And how long do you think that cancer has been wreaking havoc in there?" She turned back around. "Greens, you know he didn't respond well to regular chemo… There are so many risks with radiation to the brain and even if we WERE able to get rid of those cancer cells, Leo's ONLY bone marrow match this side of the world is in the hospital battling for his life! Things are looking VERY F**KING BLEAK." Maggie dropped her hands to her side in defeat and took a deep breath, trying to calm down but failing miserably. "God, Greenlee…"

Greenlee wrapped her arms around the hyperventilating woman. "Hey, Mags, I may not be a doctor, but it seems like there are a whole lot of unknowns right now. I know waiting sucks, but why don't we give it a try before we get ahead of ourselves."

Maggie's breathing slowed as she calmed down in her friend's embrace. "You're right. I'm sorry I snapped." Ashamed, Maggie looked down at her hands.

Greenlee shook her head. "No, don't do that." She placed her hands on the sides of Maggie's face and looked her straight in the eye. "You have nothing to feel bad about. If you need to scream and yell, do it. If you need to cry, do it. I'm here." She smirked slightly. "And hey, if you need help dumping the body…" Greenlee winked at her friend and Maggie finally smiled.

* * *

Emma looked up at the adults as they whispered with each other. She didn't like it when her mother whispered because, even at six years old, she had learned that when Robin whispered, that meant something bad was happening. "Mommy?"

Their conversation interrupted, the three women turned toward the little girl. "Yes sweetie?"

Her eyes filled with hope and innocence, Emma asked, "Uncle Jamie's gonna make Leo feel better right?"

The adults looked worriedly at each other as what they had been discussing surfaced sooner than expected. They didn't know how to approach the children to tell them what was going on with father and son but they had agreed they weren't going to lie to the kids for fear they'd have to take it back later. So, the choice being made for them with Emma's question, Robin kneeled in front of the four children and tried to hold her emotions in check as she spoke. "That's something we don't know right now, honey." She briefly scanned the attentive eyes of the other kids. "Sweethearts, we need to talk…"

"About Leo?" Spike asked as he stared at the adults, getting a feeling that something wasn't right.

Kendall was surprised at her son's insight into the situation. _But then again, he is an awfully smart kid…_ The lost look in her eyes pleaded with her sister to answer her son.

Bianca tilted her head at her sister and then kneeled beside Robin. "Part of it is about Leo, yes, but first we need to talk about Miranda." At the silence from the children, Bianca continued, "Remember when we taught you about bad people? That they make bad things happen and could take you away?" The children nodded in response. "Well, Miranda was taken away today by the bad people, but she's coming home in a little while. Just know that she might not be up for playing or talking for a while."

"Will the bad people take me too?" Gabby asked as she ran into her mother's arms.

Bianca gasped and vehemently shook her head. She kissed Gabby's forehead as she looked her in the eye and responded, "No baby, I'm not going to let anyone take you away."

Robin wrapped an arm around Emma's shoulder as she looked at the scared expression on her face. "We've made all these new friends and have been to so many places today… It's been quite an adventure, hasn't it?" At the little girl's nod, Robin took a deep breath and continued, "Well, the bad people that took Miranda hurt Uncle Jamie and he's in another hospital right now trying to get better."

Ian anxiously spoke up, "But Emma said he was the only one who could make Leo better!"

Kendall reached out to her son and Ian rushed into her arms. "Shh, it's okay, baby."

"Is it really?" Spike asked skeptically. _I may be only eight years old, but I'm not stupid._ He knew the look that he saw in his mother's eyes. He also saw it in his aunt's eyes and in the eyes of Emma's mother.

"Spike, honey-"

"Mom, please…" Spike looked at his mother with sadness in his eyes. "How sick is he? Like flu-sick or Mr. Skittles-sick?"

Kendall closed her eyes at the mention of her son's lizard that had gotten sick and passed away a month prior. "He's really sick, Spike." At the narrowing of her son's eyes, Kendall relented, "Mr. Skittles-sick…" Spike slowly nodded his head, a blank expression on his face.

Robin quickly stepped in, "Kendall's right. Leo is really sick, but the doctors are working very hard to make him better." She pulled Emma from her arms to look at her and then she looked at the other children. "We just need to be positive and pray really hard that Uncle Jamie and Leo get better soon. Okay?" The children nodded in understanding. They all sat like that in silence for what seemed like an eternity before Greenlee startled them with her entrance.

Greenlee noticed the tension in the room and knew with one look at her partner that the kids knew what was going on. She noticed the distance Spike kept from the rest of the group and knew that he would be affected differently than the younger children. He was at that age of understanding and she worried how he would handle the situation. Seeing the expectant expressions from the adults in the room, Greenlee cleared her throat nervously. "We can go up now." As the others stood, Greenlee walked to Spike and gently placed her hand on his shoulder trying to offer some comfort. He accepted it and they followed behind the others.

* * *

Maggie dropped her bag on one of the cots and walked to the window to watch the rain drops race each other down the pane of glass. She looked out in the direction of Clinique Saint Jean de Dieu and wondered if Jamie was out of surgery yet. She hoped her best friend would make it, not only for his and Leo's sake but also for her own sake. Jamie helped her through one of the darkest times in her life. He helped her to carry on and Maggie didn't want to think about losing him.

"Whoa, nice digs." Kendall surveyed the hospital room as she and the rest of the group entered.

"Honey!" Greenlee frowned as she scolded her partner and nudged her with her elbow.

Maggie slowly turned from the window and watched her friends and their children walk into the room. Even though she wanted to be left alone, Maggie knew that she needed them and was glad that they were there. She turned to Greenlee and spoke in a monotone voice, "It's fine, Greens." She shrugged. "One of the perks of working here… Leo's a VIP…" She rubbed her tired eyes and mumbled, "Not that it really matters now…" The others in the room looked worriedly at each other but remained silent. Maggie turned to the children and gestured to her bag on one of the cots. "I grabbed some coloring books from my locker for you."

Gabby and Emma smiled as they rushed to open the bag of goodies. Ian followed close behind, but Spike remained standing by his mother's side. Kendall chuckled, "You keep coloring books in your locker? I didn't know you liked to color on your break time!"

"Kendall!" Bianca rolled her eyes at her older sister. "Must you be so tactless?"

Maggie waved her hand in the air brushing off Kendall's comment. "It's fine, Bianca. While coloring does prove therapeutic and relaxing, I keep the books in my locker for when Leo has to come in for treatment."

"Oh." Kendall looked down at her hands and mumbled, "Sorry."

Shrugging, Maggie walked back to the window and spoke softly in a detached manner, "Don't worry about it."

The door opened swiftly and all eyes turned to it expectantly. "Sorry, it's just me." Anna said as she walked into the room and smiled at the children in the farthest corner of the room. She turned toward the group of adults and spoke quietly, "I have news."

Kendall kneeled down to Spike and caressed his cheek softly. "Honey, could you please go hang out with the other kids? We need to have some grown-up talk."

Spike huffed, "Mom, I want to know what's going on too."

"I know sweetheart, but we adults need to take care of things. We'll let you know what's going on later."

Spike looked expectantly at his mother. "Promise?"

Kendall glanced at her partner and at Greenlee's nod, she responded with a hug. "I promise." She watched Spike nod and run off to join the rest of the children and then stood, turning back to the group. "Alright, lay it on us, Anna."

"Jamie is out of surgery."

"Oh thank God." Bianca voiced what the rest were thinking.

Anna frowned at what she needed to say next. "He crashed once during surgery and then twice since being moved to his room." At the collective gasp, Anna continued, "The docs said that he's critical for the next forty-eight."

Maggie quickly turned and walked back to the window, tears in her eyes. Bianca started to walk towards her old friend, but was stopped by Robin. Bianca was slightly annoyed but understood. She watched Robin put her arm around Maggie and then watched Maggie brush off Robin's comfort.

Maggie quickly walked toward the door and pulled it open roughly. She stopped suddenly as she was surprised by the appearance of the tech wheeling her son back to the room.

The tech lifted the small boy and moved him back to the bed. "He lost consciousness during the test and we had to run some more to find out why. We put a rush on the results so the doc should be up shortly."

Maggie nodded as she watched the tech hook Leo up to the monitoring systems. She looked at the angelic face of her son and slumped into the chair next to his bed. Leaning over and putting her head in her hands, she prayed.

* * *

After several minutes of awkward silence, Bianca watched Anna pull Robin aside and Kendall pull Greenlee toward Spike. She noticed that Gabby and Emma had already fallen asleep on one of the cots and it looked like Ian wasn't far behind. She knew the long day had taken a toll on everyone. Bianca yawned and then took in the sight of the woman she loved. Maggie had her forehead on the edge of Leo's bed and tightly held one of his small hands. Bianca looked away as tears formed in her eyes once again. She nervously looked at her watch and realized they didn't have much time before Miranda would be home. _At least I know something good is going to happen soon._ She walked over to Maggie and laid her hand on the older woman's shoulder in comfort. Bianca smiled internally when Maggie accepted her presence, her free hand finding Bianca's. The silence was no longer awkward for the two as they enjoyed the tender moment between them.

Startling the occupants of the room, Dr. Mannheim quickly walked into the room out of breath and looking like he had just run up the six flights of stairs from the ground floor. He pointed to the two nurses that had followed him and directed them toward Leo's prone form, "Get him set up with an oxygen line and run the IVs with the broad spectrum antibiotics and steroids immediately." The nurses nodded and went to either side of the hospital bed to follow their orders. Dr. Mannheim surveyed the women and internally cringed at their hopeful looks.

Maggie quickly stood from her chair and glared at her colleague. "You going to tell me what's going on, Michel?"

Dr. Mannheim nervously fingered his clipboard and nodded his head. "Oui." He sighed. "The good news is that Leo does not have bacterial or viral meningitis. The masks are no longer needed. You are all clean."

Robin pulled off her mask and then walked toward the sleeping children to remove theirs. "Okay, so what's going on with his fever then?"

"Oui, mademoiselle, Leo's fever is being caused by another infection we are unable to identify at the moment. It doesn't seem to be contagious after looking at all of your test results."

After watching the nurses finish their tasks and leave the room, Greenlee noticed the potential for meltdown as she watched Maggie tense up and take a step toward the other doctor. Greenlee quickly got Bianca's attention and watched as the younger woman also stepped forward placing her hand on Maggie's shoulder once again in comfort.

Maggie did not relax at Bianca's touch, but she did calm down slightly at the love she felt conveyed from the younger woman. She turned her head slightly and gave Bianca an appreciative nod before speaking, "And the bad news?"

"Leo's symptoms presented as meningitis because his MRI shows leptomeningeal involvement."

Robin quickly turned around from the group of children and looked in shock at the doctor. "Oh my God… LC?"

Dr. Mannheim nodded and took a tentative step backward as he noticed Maggie clench her fists. "I'm afraid so… Leo's CSF is overrun with cancer cells and the MRI showed multiple nodules present in the spinal cord and cerebellum."

"Okay, wait a minute…" Kendall held up her hand in interruption as she watched Robin slowly sit down on the cot trying not to wake the children. "Am I the only one that doesn't know what LC is?"

Bianca felt Maggie try to take another step forward but tightened her grip on the shorter woman and stopped her movement. "What does this mean?"

Unable to pry his eyes away from the fuming expression on his colleague's face, the doctor's voice shook as he responded, "LC is leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, otherwise known as leukemic meningitis in this case, and it is a serious complication where the cancer cells have spread through the central nervous system and into the areas that protect the brain and spinal cord." Dr. Mannheim took a deep breath. "Normally when presented with leukemia we would be able to kill those cells with a course of intrathecal chemotherapy through Leo's Ommaya reservoir under his scalp." He absentmindedly pointed to his own scalp.

"Normally?" Maggie bit out as she took a quick step toward her colleague, breaking free from Bianca's grasp. "And what the hell does that mean?"

Dr. Mannheim looked to the floor and responded the only way he knew how, "Maggie, I'm sorry…"

Maggie rushed her colleague and grabbed him roughly by his lab coat. "You're sorry?"

Surprised by the strength of his colleague, Dr. Mannheim stuttered, "The-There are t-too many metastases. Chemo is ineffective in th-this case. I'm sorry."

Shaking with anger, Maggie grabbed her colleague more forcefully pulling him toward her. "Quit saying you're f**king sorry! That's not helping! Tell me how we fix this!"

Dr. Mannheim looked pleadingly at the other women in the room. He saw the confusion in some of their faces, anger in others, and realized no one was going to come to his aid. He looked back into Maggie's eyes and gulped, "We can't."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T?" Maggie jerked the man around again. "This hospital is one of the top cancer treatment hospitals in Europe! Don't stand there and tell me you can't fix this!"

"Maggie-" Anna said in an attempt to calm the shorter woman but was met with a glare that would have turned a lesser woman to stone.

Dr. Mannheim cleared his throat nervously. "Dr. Stone, you know that any other treatment is palliative at best, especially since Leo is a high risk patient and-"

Robin interrupted the doctor, "What about focal radiation?

"Considering Leo's history, it is unlikely to help. Not to mention we don't recommend radiation of the neuraxis in children because of the developmental risks-"

Maggie interrupted the doctor and pulled him closer. "Developmental risks? You think that matters NOW? You just gave him a f**king death sentence!"

"And radiation would only prolong his life another two to four mo-"

"F**k you, Michel!" Maggie pushed Dr. Mannheim toward the door. "Your team f**ked up when they let his medicine get switched causing this f**king problem!" She pushed him again. "And NOW you're telling me that it's too late? YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!" Maggie pushed the man harder, causing him to fall.

"Dr. Stone!" The women in the room turned toward the door to see a new doctor rush through it to break up the one-sided fight. "That's enough!" She bent down to check on Dr. Mannheim and seeing that he was alright, she helped him up and dismissed him.

Still seething with anger, Maggie turned toward her boss and tried to calm down by taking a deep breath. "Marian…"

Dr. Truett's expression softened slightly. "Maggie, I'm taking over Leo's case. As soon as his intracranial pressure is no longer elevated, we will start aggressive radiation. And if you're up for it, I'd also like to try a new MTX/Ara-C intrathecal chemo combo. We're seeing promising results in the trial after just one treatment."

Unable to handle her volatile emotions, Maggie nodded. "I need some air." She quickly walked out of the room.

Anna watched Bianca move to follow her friend but stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Let her go." At Bianca's nod, Anna checked her watch again and sighed. "We need to get back to the house."

Greenlee sat down in the chair that Maggie had vacated and took Leo's hand in hers. "Go on without me. I'm staying here."

"Honey…" Kendall and her two sons walked toward Greenlee. "Don't you think you need to get some rest?"

"When Maggie gets back, I'll think about coming back to Bianca's. I'm not leaving my Godson alone right now."

Kendall nodded and gave her partner a quick kiss before ushering a yawning Ian and a confused Spike toward Anna and out of the room. Gabby rubbed her tired eyes as Bianca helped her put on her coat and then they followed. After noticing her cousin was back in bed, Emma pulled from her mother's grasp and rushed to his side. Greenlee lifted the little girl up letting her kiss Leo on the cheek. After nodding toward Greenlee, Robin took Emma from her arms and followed Anna out of the room. The sudden emptiness of the room overwhelmed Greenlee and tears started to fall from her eyes as she gently brushed some hair from Leo's forehead.

* * *

Tad pulled a photograph out of his wallet and brushed his finger over the faces. Jamie had the photo taken professionally a few months back. He had wanted a nice family photo to send with the Christmas cards. Tad smiled. Jamie ended up picking the photo of the trio goofing off. Maggie sat in a chair and Jamie stood to her side with Leo dangling upside down from his arms and reaching for his mother, the camera capturing the family in the middle of laughter. Jamie thought it was the best picture because it captured one of their happier moments. It was natural and Tad had to agree. It was his favorite too. He ran his fingers over the photo one more time, said a little prayer, and then stuck it back in his wallet, closing his eyes and finally drifting off to sleep.

* * *

With her cell phone to her ear, Anna turned toward Bianca and Kendall. "The kids are inside?"

Bianca nodded. "Yes, Robin stayed with them. I can't believe they were out as soon as their heads hit the pillows." She brushed some hair from her face in frustration. "I wish it was that easy for us."

"Me too." Anna mumbled something into the phone and then into the walkie-talkie. "Alright Bianca, everyone is in position and we just got word that Reese has been spotted driving a maroon Volvo and she's headed this way." She looked at her watch. "Ten minutes."

* * *

Maggie crossed her arms over her chest in an effort to warm up. _Damn it, why didn't I grab my scarf before I took off?_ She looked at the street name she was about to cross and realized her subconscious had brought her back to Bianca's neighborhood. _Why can't things be simple?_ As Maggie crossed the street, she quickly dodged the speeding car giving no credence to the pedestrian walkway. At her breaking point, Maggie whipped around to get a look at the driver before they sped off down the road. Shock crossed her face and then was quickly replaced with anger. No longer feeling the cold as her blood began to boil, Maggie ran as fast as she could after the car.

* * *

Miranda held on tightly to the door handle as her mother's ex stopped suddenly, realizing they had reached the house. Miranda noticed movement out of the corner of her eye and while Reese was busy looking for something in her purse, she met the eyes of a stranger through the window of the car.

Anna quickly put her finger to her mouth indicating for Miranda to be quiet. She then showed her badge and gestured for the young girl to get out of the car. The Brit held on tightly to Bianca's arm, keeping her from running to the car to retrieve her daughter. "That will only spook Reese and she might take off before we get Miranda." Anna whispered.

Nodding at the stranger, Miranda looked toward her former parent with disgust. As Reese turned, Miranda quickly replaced the look with a blank one.

"What are you waiting for? Get out kid." Reese said impatiently.

Miranda thought for a moment. She didn't want Reese driving off before the police could arrest her, so she grabbed her injured leg and whimpered. "I'm going to need some help. This really hurts."

Reese glared at the ten year-old. "And that would be my problem, why?"

In true Kane fashion, Miranda rolled her eyes and spoke in a harsh tone, "The sooner you get me out of this car, the sooner you can get back to terrorizing Maggie."

Reese tilted her head as if in thought. "True… Okay, let's go." She opened the car door and walked to Miranda's side, helping the young girl stand on her injured leg.

Bianca gasped as she saw Maggie sprint toward Reese and tackle her. What seemed like hours was probably only a few minutes as Miranda rushed into her mother's arms and Maggie's fists flew with a fury Bianca had never seen. Bianca turned to the group of women watching the fight. "Shouldn't someone stop this?"

"Don't look at me, that bitch deserves it." Kendall shrugged in response.

At Bianca's look in her direction, Anna sighed. "Yes, I suppose you're right… Stay here." Anna started to walk toward the fighting women, but turned back around. "The ambulance will pull around in a few minutes to get Miranda checked out."

* * *

Watching Reese grab Miranda, Maggie snapped and sprinted toward the taller woman and tackled her to the ground. "You bitch! How could you do this!" Her fists laid into Reese over and over again. Maggie was pretty sure she felt the woman's nose break and heard the cracking of some ribs. Startled by a few punches to her chest, Maggie smirked. "That's all you've got? You punch like a girl!"

Reese spit blood in Maggie's face and laughed. "I couldn't have hoped for a better outcome. Both your boys on their death beds… best news ALL day."

Before a fuming Maggie could respond, she felt a sting in her side and then was roughly pulled back by Anna. Struggling in Anna's grip, wanting desperately to continue the beat down Reese deserved, she glanced toward Bianca and watched the tearful woman cling to her daughter. Maggie stopped struggling and looked down at the wound that had caused the earlier pain and quickly tied her jacket to hide it and looked around nervously making sure her injury went unnoticed. She heard Anna yelling at the officers to take care of Reese, but Maggie's gaze had finally found Miranda's and it was like everything else in the world just faded away.

After speaking to her mother briefly, Miranda took a tentative step toward Maggie. She hadn't seen her other mother since she was three and she was nervous. She watched Maggie drop to her knees and the nervousness suddenly disappeared. The young girl rushed into Maggie's arms, both holding on for dear life.

"Oh Munchkin, I'm so glad you're safe now." Maggie whispered as she pulled away and looked into her little girl's eyes.

Miranda frowned slightly. "I missed you."

Maggie's heart broke at the simple words. "I missed you too, baby… so much." Maggie placed a gentle kiss to Miranda's forehead. "I'm here now." She watched Bianca and Kendall come closer.

A tear slipped from Miranda's eye and she quickly brushed it away. "Reese told me all these horrible things-"

"Honey, whatever Reese told you about Maggie-"

"No, Mom, it's okay." Miranda turned back toward Maggie. "I know she was just trying to make me hate you. But I don't. I could never hate you."

Maggie didn't know what to say. She just held on to the smaller hands of her daughter and nodded in response.

"But she did tell me these horrible things about taking away the things you loved… Did she put my brother and his father in the hospital?" Miranda sniffled as a few more tears escaped her eyes. "She said they're dying… Is it true?"

"Mimo…" After seeing the variety of emotions cross Maggie's eyes, Kendall placed her hand on her niece's shoulder to stop the inquisition.

Maggie quickly stood and turned away. _I can't do this right now._ She closed her eyes as she felt an arm wrap around her shoulder. She would have known that touch anywhere. Neither said a word as Bianca tightened her hold around the shorter woman, both taking comfort in the touch and the knowledge that their little girl was home safe.

"Maggie?" The small voice broke the silence tentatively. "When can I meet Leo?"

Maggie gave Bianca an appreciative look before turning back around to Miranda and kneeling back down, sadness filling her eyes. "Munchkin, he's really sick right now and-"

Tears flowed freely from Miranda's eyes and she interrupted with a shake of her head. "Please? I need to-"

Bianca knelt down in front of Miranda and held her hands, looking into the young girl's eyes. "Honey, how about we get you checked out and we'll talk to Maggie about it tomorrow? It's been a really long day…" Bianca looked at Maggie's sorrowful expression. "We're ALL tired and need to get some rest." She watched Miranda nod and, at her insistence, follow Kendall to the ambulance. Bianca turned back to Maggie and helped her stand, noticing her wince. "Maggie, are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, B." Maggie wiped the dirt from her slacks, giving her old friend a small smile. "Thank you for-"

Bianca held up her hand. "No need to thank me for anything, Maggie. We'll talk more tomorrow alright?" At Maggie's nod, Bianca continued. "Promise me you'll get some rest tonight?" Receiving no response, Bianca sighed. "Please at least try."

Maggie looked deep into Bianca's eyes and nodded at the worry and love she found there. "I'll try, Bianca, I promise." Maggie turned to leave but heard Miranda call out to her and stopped.

Outfitted with an air-cast and a few bandages for her cuts and scrapes, Miranda hobbled on her sprained ankle toward her mothers. She watched Maggie kneel in front of her once again and smiled, giving her a long hug. They pulled apart and Miranda wiped away the few tears that had trailed down Maggie's cheeks. "I love you, Mum."

Maggie was surprised that Miranda remembered what she once called her and smiled. She pulled the young girl back into her arms and held her tight. "I love you too, baby."

"I hate to break this up, but I need to get you back to the hospital so I can head down to the station." Anna said as she placed her hand on Maggie's back.

Maggie nodded and ruffled Miranda's hair as she stood. "I'll see you sometime tomorrow, okay?" At the young girl's nod, Maggie smiled at Kendall. She then surprised herself, and everyone else, when she pulled Bianca into a hug before following Anna to her car.


	11. Chapter 11

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 11:**

"Aiden's going to stay with Jamie until Tad gets here and I'll be tied up with the police for awhile. Call us if you need anything, alright?" At Maggie's nod, Anna led Greenlee out of Leo's hospital room.

Maggie sighed and reached for Leo's hand but was immediately met with pain in her side. She undid her coat and lifted her bloody shirt. "Oh man… I'll be right back, baby." Maggie left and went to the locker room down the hall. She took a shower and assessed the wound she had received from her fight with Reese. Deeper than she had originally thought, Maggie clenched her teeth together as she stitched herself up and then covered the wound with a bandage. She then took the two syringes she had grabbed from a cart on the way and injected the medication into her arm. Maggie took a deep breath, trying not to succumb to the pain in her side, in her heart… in her soul… She pulled the clean undergarments and scrubs from her bag and quickly got changed so she could get back to her son's room.

* * *

After talking to Robin and then checking on the children, Kendall followed Bianca to the master bedroom and watched her sister tuck Miranda into bed. "Binx?"

Bianca turned and gestured for Kendall to follow her out of the room. She didn't want to wake Miranda from her slumber. "What is it, Ken?"

Kendall smiled slightly and pulled her sister into a hug. "I just wanted to tell you that I love you and that I'm proud of you."

Tilting her head in question, Bianca replied, "Um, thanks?"

"You've handled things really well today, especially with Maggie involved. I really thought I was going to have to knock some sense into you, but you let Mimo take her Maggie back." Kendall chuckled. "Her Mum… How did that come about anyway?"

Bianca chuckled as she walked toward the den and gestured for Kendall to follow her inside. "You know Maggie's dry sense of humor. She used to love watching the BBC and I swear, every time I came home from work, those two were sitting in front of the television watching some British comedy." She shook her head. "Then one day, Miranda just called her Mum and that was it." Bianca opened the safe and pulled out a folder. "When my world was falling apart, well I didn't think that Miranda would remember Maggie, her being so young and all… Kendall, I was scared. I didn't want my little girl to have her heart broken and…" She shook her head, interrupting her excuses. "I'm a horrible mother."

Kendall took the folder her sister held out to her. "No, you're not. You did what you thought was right." She looked at the paperwork in her hands and then to her sister, surprise in her eyes. "When did you have Jack draw up new paperwork?"

"A few months ago. Like I said before, once Reese and I were divorced, I was going to find Maggie. Whether she wanted to start over, be friends, whatever, I still wanted to correct the egregious error I had made so long ago. I still wanted Maggie to be Miranda's other mother." Bianca shook her head in frustration. "I should have realized that when Maggie came back to Pine Valley for us. And I should have realized that Miranda would never forget her. I just let my fear and my pride get in the way and I won't let that happen again."

Kendall watched Bianca put the folder back into the safe and then pulled her sister into another hug. "And that's another reason I am so proud of you. I think you should let her know about this tomorrow. It will be a bright spot in this nightmare we're in." At Bianca's nod, Kendall gave her a kiss on her forehead and then went to join her children in one of the guest rooms.

Bianca smiled as she gently placed her hand on the safe's door. _Kendall's right._ She walked back into the master bedroom and climbed into bed with her daughter. "I'm so glad you're safe now, Mimo." Bianca pulled Miranda into her arms and drifted to sleep.

* * *

"Good morning, Mary Margaret."

Having finally fallen asleep an hour prior, Maggie lifted her head from the edge of Leo's bed and turned to the surprise visitor. "Hello, Erica." She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yawned. "Bianca's not here." Maggie said as she turned back toward her son and caressed his cheek with the back of her hand.

Erica stepped further into the room, silently watching the love Maggie showed her son. "I'm not looking for Bianca. I'm here to see you."

Maggie turned back around and frowned. "I'm not really in the mood to get into how I screwed up Bianca's life right now."

Erica shook her head indicating she didn't want to talk about that either. "I'd like to apologize for that. Sometimes I'm overprotective to a fault with my children. I should never have said such horrible things to you, especially with my own sordid past." Erica responded as she took a seat next to Maggie and gestured toward Leo. "I wish you had called when young Leopold first got sick." She stopped Maggie's response by holding up her hand. "I know. I didn't give you any reason to think I would help you. And for that, I am truly sorry." Erica took hold of Maggie's free hand and gently squeezed. "Whatever you need is yours. Jackson and I will do everything in our power to get you what you need. Money, specialists, a good Kane thrashing…" She winked and smiled at the slight smirk that finally showed on the younger woman's face. She was surprised when Maggie suddenly wrapped her in a tight embrace. "We may have had our differences, Mary Margaret, but I assure you that you have always remained a part of this family, however dysfunctional we all are."

Maggie nodded and released the hold she held on the older woman. She had surprised herself when she had hugged Erica, but she was overcome with such emotion at what the Kane matriarch had said. Sniffling and wiping away a few stray tears, Maggie replied, "Well, for starters, please call me Maggie. That's what my friends and my family call me." She smiled at the slight nod she received from Erica in response. "And I really appreciate your offer, but-"

"Now Maggie, just think about it." Erica interrupted.

"Alright, I can do that." Maggie acquiesced. "Where's everyone else? I think I remember Greenlee saying half of Pine Valley was on their way here?"

"Yes, that's about right. I had a full jet on the ride over. Just me and a bunch of men, just the way I like it." Erica chuckled. "I had the pleasure of meeting Robin's husband and he said he and Zach would visit later this afternoon."

"Oh, Zach came?"

"Of course, dear, haven't you two become close since you saved my grandson?" At Maggie's slight nod, Erica continued. "Don't worry. Kendall is the only other one that knows about it. Although, I'll never understand why so many secrets…" She said as she shook her head in exasperation. "And of course, Ryan and Jack came too." Erica took Maggie's hand in hers once again. "Maggie, we're not just here because of what happened to Miranda. We're also here because of what happened to you and I promise you that I won't rest until that woman gets what she deserves."

"Thank you, Erica. You're support means a great deal to me and my son." Maggie bit her lip in nervousness. "Um, there is one thing you could do for me…"

"Name it."

Maggie tried not to get emotional, but was failing miserably. "I haven't seen Jamie yet and I don't want to leave Leo alone…"

"Say no more. My driver will take you and I'll stay with young Leopold until you're able to get back." Erica stopped at the tiny chuckle that escaped Maggie's lips. "What?"

"He's gonna get such a kick out of you calling him that. I hadn't wanted to give my son a name like I had, but when he was born… I just couldn't leave anyone out. I had to honor Leo and Frankie and his father, of course." Maggie smiled brightly as she wiped her eyes. "Leopold James Francis Stone… It's such a mouthful, but Leo loves it."

"It's a beautiful name, Maggie, so very strong and such a nice tribute to his family. And I will call him Leopold until he requests otherwise." Erica winked.

Maggie stood and gave her son a kiss on the forehead. "I shouldn't be at the other hospital for very long. Leo finally regained consciousness at about six this morning, so he'll be able to start his treatment later this afternoon and I want to be back for that."

"I spoke with Bianca briefly and she'd like to bring the kids up here once they wake up."

"I know Leo would love to see them again. And he's been hounding me about meeting Miranda, so yeah that would be great. Oh do you think you could get Bianca to call JR and see if she can pick up AJ on her way here?" At Erica's nod, Maggie turned to leave but then stopped, turning back to Erica. "Leo knows that Jamie isn't feeling well and that's why he can't visit, but that's it. He doesn't know what happened or that his father is in the hospital. I'd like to keep it that way."

"Of course, dear. Now run along. We'll be fine here."

* * *

"Kendall, can you get the door?" Bianca yelled from the kitchen as she finished making breakfast.

"Yeah Binx!" Kendall yelled back and opened the door. "Oh thank God you're here." She wrapped her arms tightly around Jack's neck and received a kiss to the forehead and a hug in return. "Bianca!"

Bianca poked her head out of the kitchen to see what Kendall was yelling about. At seeing who was standing in the door, she smiled and threw the towel on the counter. "Uncle Jack!" She rushed into her uncle's arms, a sob escaping her lips, and held on tightly.

"Shh, it's okay, Bianca." Jack murmured as he held her close. He watched as Patrick took Robin into his arms, Ryan pulled Greenlee into a hug, and Zach held Kendall close, all three women with tears in their eyes at seeing their loved ones. "Patrick told us everything that happened. Any recent news?" Kendall pulled away from Zach and nodded. She explained what had happened since they last spoke, much to everyone's dismay. "Okay, well Erica is visiting Maggie right now, so I think that after breakfast, I'll visit Maggie on my way to the station to meet Anna."

Zach pointed to Patrick. "Yeah, we're going to meet Aiden at Jamie's hospital."

"Why? What's going on?" Kendall asked suspiciously.

"We just need to exchange some information. Nothing to worry about." Zach responded trying to avoid the question.

Before Kendall could say anything else, Ryan jumped to Zach's rescue. "Don't worry! I'll be here to help with the kiddos. I hear they wanted to go visit their new friend in the hospital?"

Bianca pulled away from her uncle and nodded. "Yes. Actually, I need to call Maggie to make sure it's alright." She was startled when her cell phone rang. "Oh, hi Mom." She gave an apologetic glance to the group and then walked back to the kitchen. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, of course, dear. I'm just calling to let you know that I'm staying with young Leopold for a bit. Maggie wanted to go see Jamie, but she said she'd be back this afternoon for her son's treatment."

Slightly disappointed that Maggie had left, Bianca replied, "Oh, okay, well, I guess the kids can wait to see Leo."

"Oh no, dear, Maggie wants them to come. She said Leopold would love the company. And I'd have to agree. There's only so much 'Old Maid' either one of us can take." Erica winked at the bright smile she received from the little boy sitting up in bed.

Bianca chuckled into the phone. "Okay then. We'll come by after breakfast. I have a feeling they are going to want to stay until Leo has to leave for his treatment."

"I'm sure they will. Oh, Maggie would like you to give JR a call and see if AJ can come with you. She thought you might be able to pick him up on the way here."

"Sure. I'll see you in a little while then." Bianca hung up the phone and went to wake the children up. They had new guests to greet and breakfast to eat before taking off for the hospital.

* * *

Aiden almost fell out of the chair as he was startled awake by the opening of the door. As soon as he realized who it was, he quickly stood and wrapped the visitor in a tight embrace. "Maggie, I'm so sorry."

Maggie had caught a glimpse of Jamie before Aiden had grabbed her and she just nodded in his arms, unable to do anything else for fear of breaking down. She was glad Leo couldn't visit because it would certainly scare the young boy. _Hell, it scares ME._ Maggie's medical training had flown out the window at the sight of all of the machines hooked up to her best friend. She just buried her head in Aiden's chest and prayed that Jamie would pull through.

* * *

JR held up his hand to interrupt the conversation in the jet and answered his cell phone. "Oh, hi Bianca."

"Hey, JR." Bianca didn't speak much with her old friend anymore. He was busy with his life and she with hers, but they loved that their kids were such great friends.

JR took a seat as he mouthed who was on the phone to Tad. "So, I hate that we only ever communicate when there's some tragedy going on."

"Yeah, me too." A headache was forming at the thought of telling her friend the latest news and Bianca pinched the bridge of her nose trying to make it go away. "When do you get to Paris?"

"We land in about fifteen minutes. What's up?" JR ran his free hand through his hair in frustration as Bianca updated him on the situation. "No, I'll bring him. We'll see Jamie and then head over there to see my Godson." He said his goodbye and then threw his phone on the seat next to him.

"I think I gave her too much sedative." Tad chuckled as he tried waking Brooke up and then noticed the silence. "JR?"

JR spoke in a monotone voice, still in shock at the information he had just received. "That bitch actually did what Stewart said. One doc says Leo won't make it past six weeks."

Tad immediately stopped trying to wake Brooke and sat down, a look of disbelief covering his features. "Oh my God… Well, what does the other doc say?"

"There are some treatments that are having pretty quick results in trials right now, so they're going to try them this afternoon. Apparently the second doc, who is actually Maggie's boss, is hopeful but it's still a long-shot since Leo's a high risk patient. So if an improvement isn't seen by mid-day tomorrow then the original prognosis is more likely."

"Dad? What does that mean?" AJ asked as he looked toward his father with fear in his eyes.

"Oh AJ, I thought you were still asleep…" JR sighed and looked toward Tad for help. Seeing the older man shrug his shoulders, JR realized he needed to tell his son what was going on. _Now's as good a time as any, I guess._ He took a calming breath and hoped he wasn't doing the wrong thing. "Leo's really sick, buddy, and it's possible that he might not make it another month."

AJ jumped out of his seat and rushed to his father, jumping into his lap. He spoke with tears in his eyes and sadness in his voice, "No! Leo can't die!" He continued to cry as his father held him close.

JR's heart broke at his son's reaction and he was unable to keep his emotion hidden any longer as tears slipped from his eyes. He looked to Tad for reassurance that things would be okay, but the older man had his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking slightly. JR was thankful, at least, that Brooke was still oblivious for now.

* * *

Bianca wrung her hands as the adults huddled in the kitchen after breakfast. "I don't think we should tell them until we know if the treatment has improved Leo's prognosis. Mom said that would be tomorrow."

Robin nodded. "You're right. They need a day of fun with him before they get any more upset."

"Alright, well we need to head out." Zach said as he put on his coat.

"I'm coming with you." Robin and Greenlee both said at the same time.

Zach shook his head no, but then relented at the look on each woman's face. "Fine. Let's go." He walked out to the dining room and gave each child a kiss on the forehead. "We'll see you guys a little bit later, alright?" A round of nods and goodbyes erupted from the table as Zach walked to the door and held it open for Patrick and the tagalongs.

"Oh Robin, could I borrow your car then?" Jack asked quickly.

"Yeah, of course." She threw the keys in Jack's direction and left.

"Alright kiddos, let's get your winter gear on so we can go see Leo in the hospital!" Ryan exclaimed and smiled at the silent 'thank you' he received from Bianca.

* * *

"I'll just be outside." Aiden softly said as he released his hold on the tiny woman.

Maggie nodded in response and stepped over to Jamie's bedside. She grasped his hand and kissed the palm, still blinking the tears from her eyes. "Oh James… I am SO sorry… I did this. You're my best friend, my family, and SHE wanted to hurt me so she went after you. God, Jamie, I can't lose you! Do you hear me?" She squeezed his hand tighter. "You CAN'T leave me. I just won't accept that." She heard a commotion outside and turned to look out the window. "Looks like your mom and dad are here."

"Maggie?" Aiden poked his head through the door. "Um…"

"I just need a few more minutes alone with him." Maggie watched Aiden nod his head and shut the door again, before turning back to the pale man lying in bed. "Remember when we discussed the possible complications of Leo's disease? Well, the bitch that put you here somehow switched Leo's meds and now he's developed LC. I know you remember that one." She wiped the tears from her cheeks and sniffled. "Well, I spoke with your doctor and even if this experimental treatment works and gets rid of the LC, you can't donate your bone marrow. One, you're too weak. And two, you might have gotten HepC from Stewart." As one of the monitors beeped because of the rise in Jamie's blood pressure, Maggie sighed. "I know. We're living a nightmare. But, hey, don't freak out yet. Marian is hopeful about this new treatment and maybe we'll get lucky and find a donor match too." Maggie tried to sound optimistic but was failing miserably. She leaned over and placed a kiss on Jamie's cheek. "I love you, James. We both need you, so hang in there, okay?"

"Maggie…" Tad spoke with sorrow in his voice as he walked up behind the tiny woman. Once Maggie stood from her chair, Tad pulled her into a hug. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Just being here is enough." Maggie said as she accepted the older man's comfort. "You'll come see your grandson later?" As Tad nodded in response, Maggie pulled away and finally noticed Brooke. "Um… What's wrong with her?" She asked, frowning.

Tad looked sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck. "She was freaking out, so we sedated her. I think we gave her too much." Maggie smirked as Tad shrugged. "So, are you hanging around here or going back?"

"Mags can go back with me and AJ." JR said as he walked into the room with his son and Aiden by his side. He gave Maggie a hug and kiss on the cheek, whispering in her ear, "I know things are going to be okay." He smiled as she nodded and pulled away.

"AJ, you've gotten so big!" Maggie exclaimed as she picked up the ten year-old and squeezed him tightly.

The frown didn't leave AJ's face as he hugged his favorite of his father's friends. "Leo can't die, Aunt Maggie, he just can't." A tear slipped from his eye. "I love him. He can't leave." AJ felt Maggie hold him tighter, her shoulders shaking slightly. "And Uncle Jamie… I love him too. He has to be okay."

Maggie's voice broke. "I know sweetie, I know." She pulled away and kneeled to look into AJ's eyes. "We just need to keep praying for them, okay?" As the little boy nodded and walked to his uncle's side, Maggie felt JR put his arm around her and she leaned into him, watching Tad pick AJ up and letting him place a kiss on his uncle's forehead. She could feel her life changing and she hoped it wasn't for the worse.


	12. Chapter 12

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 12:**

After Dr. Truett finished checking on Leo, Erica pulled her to the side. "Some of his friends are coming to visit… Is it alright if he gets out of bed?"

"Sure, as long as he doesn't do anything strenuous, I think it would be good for him Ms. Kane. I'll be right back with a children's walker."

Erica flipped her hair and spoke with slight attitude. "Why would he need a walker? He's only six."

Dr. Truett smiled politely, while rolling her eyes on the inside. "Leo's motor functions are weakening, thus the need for assistance in walking. I'll just get that walker now."

Watching the doctor quickly leave the room, Erica frowned. _Well, I never!_ She walked back to Leo's bedside and ruffled his hair. "Leopold, your hair is awfully shaggy. When was the last time you got a haircut?"

Leo shrugged and took a sip of water. "Mama will buzz it before my treatment. That way I don't lose clumps at a time."

"Oh, alright." Erica was dumbfounded. H_ow does he do that? He's got such a great attitude. He's just taking things in stride. Wouldn't it be something if we all could follow his lead? _She was startled from her thoughts as the door opened.

"Leo!" Spike exclaimed as he ran to his friend's side and gave him a high five.

The little boy in bed smiled brightly. "Hey Spike! Where's everyone else?"

Spike waved toward the door and smiled. "Oh, they're coming. I just couldn't wait to see you."

"Spike! What did I tell you about running off?" Kendall spoke sternly as she walked behind Ian into the room.

Erica watched Ian rush to his brother's side and as he greeted Leo she stepped toward her daughter, placing a hand on her arm. "Let it be… just for today." Kendall watched her sons talk animatedly with Maggie's son and nodded silently in response to her mother.

"Ms. Kane-"

"Thank you. I'll take that." Erica interrupted the nurse and took the walker from his hands, shooing him away. "Run along."

"Mother!"

"Oh Bianca, relax. We've been goofing off with him all morning." Erica walked toward the little boy in bed. "Haven't we, Leopold?" She received a nod in response and helped him get out of bed. Before her children could protest, Erica held up her hand. "The doctor said it would be good for young Leopold to get out of bed for a while."

"Thanks, Gramma Erica!" Leo exclaimed as he hugged Erica, joined by Gabrielle and the boys. He then hugged Emma and Gabby on his way toward the cots in the corner, Spike and Ian pushing the monitoring stand behind him.

Bianca looked at her mother with a frown on her face and spoke quietly so the children wouldn't hear, "Gramma Erica? Mother, you can't-"

Erica interrupted her daughter with a flip of her hair. "I can and I will. Leopold is a beautiful child that is a part of this family." She put her hands on her hips and dared her daughter to say anything different. "Besides, Maggie and I spoke about it earlier."

Surprised by the information, Bianca took the cue to change the subject. "Is she still with Jamie?"

"She's on her way back here with JR and AJ." Erica took Ryan's hand and led him to the corner where the children sat on cots. "Leopold, this is Ryan. He's Spike's father."

"Hi! Do you want to play too?" Leo asked as Spike dealt out the 'Uno' cards.

Ryan sat down beside Spike, putting his arm around his son. "Sure. Deal me in, big guy."

Erica walked back to her daughters and smiled. "They are so adorable." Bianca and Kendall smiled and nodded in agreement. "Well, where's my Miranda?"

Bianca placed her bag on a chair and rubbed her forehead in frustration. "I forgot that she had an appointment with the therapist today. I would have cancelled but I figured she'd need the session since she was just kidnapped."

"That was probably wise. When can you pick her up?"

"Oh, the therapist is here on the third floor, so Uncle Jack is staying with her until she's done. I really didn't want to leave her alone and he said he had some phone calls he needed to make."

Kendall furrowed her brow in confusion. "She's been seeing that therapist for over a year now… How did you NEVER run into Maggie?"

Bianca sat down and shrugged. "I don't know, but I wish I had."

* * *

Aiden hugged his friends in greeting. "You just missed JR and Maggie. They took AJ to see Leo."

"We just wanted to see you and Jamie." Greenlee said with a shrug, giving him a kiss on the cheek. She followed Robin into Jamie's room, leaving Aiden with Zach and Patrick outside.

Aiden pulled the two men further away from listening ears and whispered, "What's going on? Sonny wouldn't tell me much on the phone." He narrowed his eyes at Patrick. "He also said you'd be alone, Zach."

"Yeah, well, you know how suspicious the Kane clan gets… I needed reinforcements to keep the focus off of me." Zach replied as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Aiden patted Patrick on the shoulder. "Well, welcome to the team, mate." He stopped suddenly and turned back toward Zach. "Wait a minute… reinforcements… as in plural?"

"Yeah, Ryan's on board too. He's holding down the fort with the ladies." Zach sighed as Aiden shook his head. "Right, well, you know how they are… And did Anna tell you that Jack is going to be getting involved with the investigation as a consultant? Things have gotten a little out of hand and we need all the help we can get at this point." Zach whisper-yelled, "The last thing we need is any of us getting detained!"

Aiden stuck his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, you're right. Jason can't do this alone." He looked around the hallway. "When you're done visiting here, I'll meet you at Maggie's with some stuff. Jason gave me an idea of what he has planned, so we'll get everything set up for when he gets here tonight." Aiden saluted his friends in jest and then rushed off to the elevator.

* * *

"Remember what I said son?"

"Yes, Leo needs us to be strong and have happy thoughts."

"Right." JR gave Maggie a small smile and opened the door, AJ running in first.

"AJ's in the house!" The ten year-old exclaimed and chuckled when his friends giggled.

Leo got up slowly from his sitting position on the cot and smiled brightly at his cousin while he maneuvered the walker. "Hey man! I've missed you." They hugged a little longer than normal, neither caring, both boys knowing the potential outcome of Leo's sickness.

"I missed you too." AJ pulled away and noticed the expectant look on his father's face. He patted Leo on the back and walked over to the group of children to greet them.

Erica watched Leo struggle with the walker and moved to help the little boy. She was stopped suddenly by Maggie taking her arm and shaking her head. She noticed the tears in her eyes and watched the younger woman tilt her head in the direction of JR.

"Hey little man, come here!" JR swiftly walked over to Leo and picked him up. "You've gotten so big!"

"Well yeah, Uncle JR, I've been eating my spinach. I want to be just like you!"

"Oh dear…" Erica muttered as she sat back down.

Kendall nudged her mother roughly and pointed at the video camera in her hands. "You know I've been filming the kids!" She whispered and at her mother's muttered apology, she continued filming.

JR laughed at the little boy and shook his head. "Not me!" He quirked his mouth and his brow just like the cartoon character, Popeye, and started to sing, "I'm Popeye the Sailor Man! I'm strong to the finich, 'cause I eats me spinach! I'm Popeye the Sailor Man!" He smiled brightly as Leo laughed and then winked at AJ who was laughing with the rest of the kids.

Maggie squeezed the hand in hers, realizing for the first time that Bianca was standing beside her. She wiped her eyes and took a calming breath. She turned and hugged her old friend, speaking in a hushed tone, "I'm not usually so emotional." She shook her head slightly and whined. "Why can't I get it together?"

"Shh, you have every reason-"

"Mama, are you alright?" Leo interrupted as he leaned his head to look over his uncle's shoulder.

Maggie pulled away from Bianca slightly but did not turn around, her brows furrowed and her eyes looking questioningly at her friend. _I need to be strong for him. How do I do that? _Seeing the compassion in Bianca's eyes as the younger woman nodded, Maggie closed her eyes and felt her friend's gentle touch wipe away her tears. As soon as those delicate hands left her, Maggie immediately missed them and opened her eyes. She saw the promise in Bianca's eyes that they would talk later and then turned to her son. "Hey baby, yeah, I'm alright now that I'm back here with you."

JR walked Leo toward the tiny woman but was stopped when he felt a jerk. "Oh, I guess you need that too." He thanked Ryan for pushing the monitoring stand toward him and then handed his nephew to Maggie. "Sorry 'bout that kiddo."

Maggie held her son close to her chest and sighed at the light kiss to her cheek she received. She kissed her son's forehead in return and then ruffled his hair. "What do you say we get this cut and then you can get back to your game?" She turned toward the group of kids in the corner. "You think you guys can manage without my little man for a few minutes?"

"Of course we can." Ryan said as he stood and walked over to Maggie, giving her a hug in greeting. "It's been a while…" At Maggie's return hug and nod in response, Ryan continued quietly, "For what it's worth, Maggie… I'm sorry… for everything then and everything now."

"Thanks Ryan. And thanks for being here."

"What are you conspiring about over there?" Kendall asked the three boys who were huddled together whispering.

"We want Aunt Maggie to give us buzz cuts too." AJ announced to the surprised adults.

"No way, Spike."

Spike shook his head and looked at his father with pleading eyes. "We want to do it for Leo… to help him."

"I think that's a wonderful idea. Great thinking boys!" Kendall said with a smile to her son. She turned toward Ryan and gave him a look that dared him to disagree.

"Your mother's right, Spike, it's a great idea to show Leo your support." Ryan acquiesced as Maggie patted him on the back.

"Cool!" Leo exclaimed. He was excited they would have matching haircuts. And even though he knew it would be better if it was just him and his mother, Leo was glad his friends were with him.

"Well, alright…" Maggie said as she handed her son to Bianca and walked over to her bag to get her supplies.

"Hi Miss Bianca."

Bianca smiled as she held Leo in her arms, the little boy resting his head on her shoulder. "Hi Leo."

"I really like you." Leo said softly. After a few minutes, he gave Bianca a light kiss on the cheek and whispered in her ear, "Will you take care of my mama?"

Surprised at the question, Bianca kissed the little boy on the forehead and could only nod. Before she could even think of formulating a more articulate response, the sound of the door opening and her daughter's greeting to Maggie distracted her.

"Hey Munchkin!" Maggie hugged the ten year-old. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good. I don't think I'm going to get PTSD." Miranda answered with a smirk on her face. Maggie turned toward Bianca and raised her eyebrows at the young girl's response.

Bianca's smirk matched that of her daughter's. "She just saw her therapist AND she has your sense of humor."

"Oh." Maggie laughed and then stood to give Jackson a hug. "Thanks for coming."

"Anything for you, my dear." Jackson replied and then looked into Maggie's eyes. "Anything, Maggie. We love you."

Maggie nodded and smiled as she looked at each of the people in the room. _Erica's right. No matter what we've been through, we're still a family._ "Thanks, Jack. I love you guys too."

"Miss Bianca, is that Miranda?"

Bianca nodded and gestured for her daughter to come closer. She set Leo on the ground at his walker. "Miranda, this is Maggie's son, Leo."

Smiling, Miranda hugged the six year-old. "I always wanted a brother!" She pulled away and saw the bright smile on Leo's face. "Is there any room in that 'Uno' game for one more?"

Leo nodded and then remembered his mother was ready to cut his hair. "Oh, I forgot. Mama needs to cut my hair because of my medicine, but AJ, Spike, and Ian are going to get buzz cuts too!" He smiled at his friends. "To make me feel better. It's really nice of them."

"Then I want one too." Miranda said, her tone daring anyone to say anything different.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…" Maggie stepped forward and knelt down, looking Miranda in the eyes. "Honey, I am not going to shave your head."

"But he's sick and if it will make him feel better..." The little girl whined.

Leo tugged on Miranda's shirt, getting her attention. "Miranda, just meeting you and having you here makes me feel better." Maggie's heart warmed at her son's maturity and the smile that his words brought to her little girl's face. "Besides, it's a guy thing." He winked and nudged Miranda's shoulder, causing her to laugh.

"Fine. But you're sitting next to me when we play 'Uno'."

The adults joined in with the laughter as Leo replied with a handshake. "Deal."

* * *

"Hey honey, Zach and I are going out for awhile." Patrick said as he pulled his wife outside the hospital room.

Robin narrowed her eyes and frowned. "Patrick, what's going on? You're acting shadier than usual…"

"Honey, it's nothing."

"Bull! You haven't even seen your nephew yet!" Robin whispered as she pulled away from her husband.

Patrick sighed and scratched his head. His eyes implored his wife to use her better judgement. "Look, the less people that know the better, okay?"

Realizing what her husband was implying, Robin let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine! Just, you two better hurry up! Maggie's going to wonder where the hell you two are and what am I going to say?"

Zach and Greenlee walked out of the hospital room just as Robin finished her rant. Zach watched Patrick rub his face and then shook his head at the increasing complications that kept arising from more people knowing what was going on. He turned to Robin and put his hand on her shoulder. "Please just tell them that we went to get supplies for Thanksgiving."

"And what do you think they'll say when you don't have a freakin' turkey?" Greenlee asked with attitude as she went to stand next to Robin, hands on her hips.

"Did I say anything about lying? No! We'll have a damn turkey, alright?" Zach exclaimed and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "We – are going to – pick up – Thanksgiving – supplies. Got it?"

Greenlee held her hands up in surrender. "Alright, Zach, we got it!" She watched the two men walk toward the elevator and turned to Robin. "I swear! That man is so freakin' cryptic."

Robin nodded her head and frowned. "Yeah… Sonny does that to people." At Greenlee's questioning look, she explained, "They've been friends for a really long time. Mac told me a story about them once. I don't remember it now, but the moral was clear… No one messed with Cambius and Corinthos, The Money and The Mob. Their partnership was mutually advantageous."

"Huh, I didn't know that… but then again, why would I? They're both a couple of mutes." Greenlee said as she rolled her eyes. "Whatever they're up to, let's just hope they don't get caught."

* * *

"Well, there we go, four handsome boys with buzz cuts." Maggie said as she gathered up the sheet with all the hair on it and put it in the laundry bin.

Kendall watched her sons run their hands over their heads and laughed. "It'll grow back guys."

"No way, this is awesome!" Spike exclaimed.

"Yeah, it feels really cool!" Ian agreed excitedly.

AJ smiled at his father and then put his hand on Leo's walker. "Come on, we've got girls to beat at 'Uno'!"

"Hey!" Gabrielle and Emma exclaimed at once.

Miranda nudged her sister and winked at Leo. "Don't worry, baby sis, we'll crush 'em!"

"Hang on, Leo." Jack walked over to the little boy and picked him up for a hug. "I've got to get going, but I'll come back later, okay?"

"Okay, Grampa Jack!" Leo exclaimed and then gave the older man a light kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, I'll walk with you, Jack. I need some coffee." JR said as he walked toward the door.

Kendall's phone rang as Jack said his goodbyes to the rest of the group. She looked at the caller ID and quickly answered it. "What's up?"

"We need a ride." Greenlee shifted feet as she watched Robin talk to one of Jamie's doctors.

Kendall frowned. "And what happened to the car Zach was driving?"

"Oh, he and Patrick had to go run some errands. I think they said something about getting supplies for Thanksgiving."

Kendall took a calming breath. "It's not that far. Why can't you walk?"

"In these shoes?" Greenlee exclaimed, shaking her head.

Erica watched her daughter get agitated and gestured for the phone. Kendall happily handed the phone to her mother. "Greenlee, I'll be there in a bit. I wanted to check on Tad and Jamie anyway." Erica hung up the phone and then handed it back to her daughter, turning toward Leo. "Leopold, it looks like I need to go as well." She hugged the little boy and they exchanged a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back soon." She then said her goodbyes to the rest of the group and left.

Bianca shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you're letting my mother go by 'Gramma Erica'…"

Maggie tilted her head at Bianca in confusion. "I've always thought of your family as mine too. Your mother, even during the unbearable moments, was more of a mother to me than my own." She looked down at the ground. "I don't have a lot of family, Bianca. Anna's like a mother to me and if I didn't have her…" Maggie shook her head, not finishing her sentence. "Well, anyways, Leo cherishes family, so I say the more the merrier." She shrugged and spoke softly. "For his sake… and mine."

Bianca placed her hand on Maggie's arm and spoke softly, "You will always have us." She gestured around the room with her free hand. "Not just me and the kids, but all of us. Actually, that's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Kendall watched her sister get a serious look on her face and decided that it was time for a change of scenery. "Hey Maggie, isn't there a playroom around here?"

Maggie narrowed her eyes at Kendall, worried she was about to get sucked into something she didn't want to deal with at the moment. "Yeah, it's down the hall on the right."

"Fantastic!" Kendall turned to the kids and gestured for Ryan to give her a hand corralling them. "I bet there are all kinds of toys and fun stuff down there!" While leaving, Kendall gave her sister a wink and shut the door behind her. "Okay Leo, lead the way." When the group had reached the playroom, all the kids stared in awe. _Man, the oncology department went all out…_ Toys were scattered around the room, TVs on the walls, gaming systems and DVD players, game tables and bean bags, Kendall wasn't sure the kids would be able to decide what to do. AJ and Miranda ran to the air hockey table, Gabby and Emma popped in a DVD, Spike and Ian ran to the Nerf guns, but Kendall noticed that Leo remained behind. She gestured to Ryan to leave them alone for a few moments and watched as he walked away with the video camera. She helped Leo walk to the couch and kneeled in front of him. "Honey, are you alright?"

Leo nodded, sadness touching his eyes as he watched the other kids. He moved his focus back to Kendall and tried to shake the feeling. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Kendall gently took Leo's hand and looked compassionately in his eyes. "Honey, you don't have to lie to me." She watched Leo shrug. "I know you want to be strong for your mother, but you don't have to do that for me, okay?"

"You love my Aunt Greenie, right?" Leo asked seriously.

"Yes, sweetheart, I do. What-"

"Can I call you Aunt Kendall then?" Leo interrupted.

Kendall smiled. "Of course you can." She was surprised when the little boy quickly slid off the couch and into her arms. "Are you-"

Leo leaned toward Kendall's ear and whispered, "Will you take care of her?" He then pulled away and looked pleadingly in the tall woman's eyes. Surprised by the question, Kendall only nodded and squeezed Leo's hand in assurance. Leo nodded in return and then looked back at the kids playing games and watching TV. He gripped his new aunt's hand tighter as a tear slipped from his eye. "Mama doesn't know that I know…" He sighed. "Last time I got sick I was too little, I didn't understand. My therapist says that cancer kids grow up faster since they have to prepare us…" He focused back to the tall woman and wiped his eye with his free hand and frowned. "Aunt Kendall, I wish I wasn't so sick… Mama's already hurting. I don't want to hurt anyone else."

"Oh honey, listen to me. You're not hurting anyone. Sometimes you have to go through hard stuff when you love someone. And we love YOU." Kendall pointed at the little boy. "Don't worry about us. We're here for YOU. We just want you to have fun, be happy, and get better, okay?"

Leo nodded sadly, a far off look in his eyes. "My therapist said I'd know when it was the end…" His tearful gaze looked into Kendall's worried eyes. "Aunt Kendall, when I woke up this morning, I knew. I felt it."

Kendall gasped and pulled the little boy into her arms, holding on tightly and whispering into his ear, "Oh Leo… I know you're in pain and it would be so easy to just give in, but honey, please keep fighting. This isn't over."

Ryan noticed the moment and quickly walked toward the upset pair. Kneeling down and placing a comforting hand on Kendall's back, he whispered, "Is everything alright?"

As Kendall let go of Leo, he kissed her lightly on the cheek. "My dad always says that I got 'the Stone spirit'." He smiled slightly. "I won't give up without a fight." Kendall brushed the wetness from his cheeks. "I'm sorry for bringing it up. I just-"

Kendall shook her head and wiped her own cheeks. "Don't you dare apologize. You have just as much reason as anyone else to need to talk to someone." She kissed him on the forehead. "And you can talk to me anytime. Now go on. I think you've got some friends waiting on you."

Leo smiled brightly then and looked toward the air hockey table. AJ was holding up a dry-erase board with a bracket drawn on it. "A tournament?" Ryan smiled and helped the little boy walk toward his friends, but not before he looked at Kendall compassionately and indicated he would be right back.

* * *

Bianca and Maggie sat on opposite cots, both looking everywhere but at each other, the silence deafening, seemingly going on for days. Bianca was the first to speak, "Right, so…" She pulled her bag to her chest.

"Look, Bianca…" Maggie started, unable to take the awkwardness any longer. "I know you didn't expect to see me yesterday, or ANY day for that matter, and the last thirty hours have been insane…" She rubbed her forehead as she sighed. "It never used to be this hard to talk to you." She shook her head. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry you got dragged into this. It's the last thing you need to deal with after almost losing Miranda again and I don't expect you to stay."

"Do you want me to go?" Bianca asked as she nervously curled some hair behind her ear.

"No, I don't." Maggie said and then looked at her hands. "We haven't exactly been on the best of terms, and I'm just saying that I'd understand if you need to leave."

Bianca frowned at her old friend. "Maggie, I want to be here with you, with Leo, with our family. I'm not taking my girls from their brother that's in the hospital. And I am certainly not taking Miranda away from you again. I made that mistake already. I won't make it again." Maggie looked up and Bianca held her gaze. "I never stopped loving you, Maggie. I've done some really stupid things-"

Maggie held up her hand to stop Bianca from saying another word. She quickly shook her head and stood. "I can't talk about this right now."

Bianca grabbed the shorter woman's hand, a calming touch to them both. Maggie relaxed slightly and sat back down. Bianca took the folder from her bag and handed it to a confused Maggie. "A few months ago when I had finally reached my breaking point with a marriage that was over long before, I had Uncle Jack draw up these papers." She watched Maggie slowly open the folder. "I had decided that once my divorce was final, I was going to find you. Whatever came of that visit didn't matter as long as I was able to correct one of the two biggest mistakes I've ever made."

Maggie looked up from the papers in her hand, a look of surprise on her face. "Are these… what I think they are?"

Bianca nodded. "You are as much Miranda's mother as I am. It doesn't matter that you haven't been there. That's my fault. I don't want you to miss any more time with our daughter." At Maggie's questioning look, Bianca started to second guess her decision to tell her. "You don't have to sign them today… or ever… I just-"

"Of course I'm going to sign them!" Maggie exclaimed as she patted the pockets of her scrubs looking for her pen. She found it and started going through the papers, signing and initialing where indicated. "I was just surprised. It kinda came out of nowhere and as you can tell, I haven't been having the best month." She finished signing the paperwork and handed the folder back to Bianca. "When-"

"Uncle Jack will file it with the State of Pennsylvania as soon as they get back to the states. Oddly enough, it's easier that way than doing it here." Bianca shrugged and then looked at Maggie seriously. "Maggie, I didn't do this to-"

"I never stopped loving you either." Maggie interrupted. She could tell that Bianca was surprised at the admission. "I know we need to talk more… about everything… but do you think we can skip that for now and just be friends again?" Maggie's eyes filled with tears as she watched Bianca nod her head, tears filling her eyes as well. Her voice filled with emotion, Maggie managed, "I miss my best friend and I really need her right now."

Bianca quickly moved to Maggie's side and gently cupped her friend's face. "I'm here, Maggie. I'm not going anywhere EVER again." She kissed Maggie's forehead and then wrapped her arms around the tiny woman, both taking comfort in the embrace, and their reconciliation.


	13. Chapter 13

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 13:**

"Oh! He's with me!" Anna yelled at an officer while gesturing toward the visitor.

Jack thanked the officer and joined Anna at a makeshift desk. "It's been too long, Anna." He said as he gave his old friend a hug.

"Indeed it has." Anna pulled some paperwork together and gestured for Jack to follow. "Let's take a walk."

* * *

Bianca pulled away from the hug first and looked deeply into Maggie's eyes, brushing some hair from the shorter woman's face. "I-" Bianca was interrupted by the door bursting open suddenly.

"No, Tad! I can't believe you're letting that- that- that woman dictate what happens!" Erica exclaimed disdainfully.

Greenlee brushed roughly past Tad with a scowl on her face. "Unbelievable! While all this is going on, you're just going to up and leave?"

Tad couldn't get a word in edgewise as the two women continued to spit fire in his direction. Not able to follow the tennis match, Maggie slowly stood. _I'm too out of practice for this._ "Hey!" No one stopped arguing, so she stuck her fingers in her mouth and whistled. "Hey! Thank you! Now tell me what the hell is going on!"

Greenlee crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. "Brooke's a bitch!"

Surprised that her friend did not hide her insult, Maggie frowned in confusion and turned toward Erica. "You won't hear me say this often, but Greenlee's right. Brooke has lost her mind!" Erica flipped her hair in Tad's direction. "Who in their right mind takes someone in that condition on a flight across the ocean? No one, Tad! And I can't believe you are honestly entertaining the idea of taking a father from his son!"

Bianca stood quickly at her mother's outburst. "Whoa, whoa, now wait a minute..." She turned toward a sheepish looking Tad. "What the hell is she talking about? You're taking Jamie back to Pine Valley?" She noticed Maggie tense up beside her and placed a calming hand on the shorter woman's shoulder.

"You are such a coward!" Greenlee yelled.

Tad rubbed the back of his neck and sighed in frustration. "As soon as Jamie is stable enough to make the trip, Brooke wants him transferred to PVH so Joe can oversee his treatment." He watched Maggie narrow her eyes and nervously added, "They say he's progressing faster than they had expected and anticipate him being ready for the trip tomorrow afternoon."

Maggie clenched her fists, upset. "How can you let her do that?"

"You know that this whole thing is bringing up her losing Laura… She doesn't want to lose another child. Now, I don't agree with the timing, but I do agree with her on one thing. I trust Joe more than I trust these French doctors with my son's life."

"And what about your grandson's life?" Erica yelled, throwing her hands in the air in frustration.

* * *

"You haven't even seen your grandson yet and you've already decided that his father is better served away from him. Unbelievable!" Robin exclaimed as she followed quickly behind Brooke.

JR poked his head out of the playroom and scowled. "Did I just hear what I think I heard?"

Brooke walked briskly into the playroom. Tears came to her eyes as she watched her grandson cheer for the two children playing air hockey. "Leo, honey…"

Leo turned toward the door and smiled slightly. "Hi Gramma Brooke." He looked around for his grandfather, the only reason he could tolerate his grandmother's presence, and frowned. "Where's Grampa Tad?"

"He's in your room talking with your mother." Brooke walked toward the little boy and knelt in front of him, pulling him into a hug. "Oh, my grandbaby!" She rocked him back and forth. "I love you so much!"

Kendall and Ryan looked at each other as they watched the moment, both feeling awkward. They were startled by raised voices coming from outside the room again. Kendall silently asked Ryan to keep an eye on things before walking outside. "What the hell, you two?"

* * *

"So she's not talking at all?" Jack asked, frowning, as he and his friend stood outside the interrogation room.

Anna shook her head. "Not a word since we tore Maggie off of her." She pointed to the other rooms. "These guys though… They haven't stopped talking since we brought her in. I guess they feel safe now that she's locked up." She shrugged. "I don't know." She dropped the files onto the table and stretched her back. "In other news, the French government has granted the Agency extraterritorial jurisdiction, so she's all ours."

"Well, let's get to it then. Show me what we got." Jack said as they both settled down at the table.

* * *

After Robin explained what was happening, JR had to hold back a livid Kendall from storming into the playroom and slapping his stepmother. "No, I want the pleasure." He said in a low voice, a scowl on his face. He walked into the play room and over to where Brooke had Leo in an embrace.

"Okay, Gramma… You can let go now." Leo said nervously as he looked over her shoulder at AJ, pleading for help.

"Brooke… I need to see you outside." JR said through clenched teeth, trying not to upset Leo and the rest of the children. Brooke immediately increased her grip on the little boy.

"Gramma! That hurts!" Leo screamed suddenly.

JR quickly walked the remaining steps to Leo and grabbed Brooke by the shoulders. "Let go! You KNOW you have to be gentle!" He tried prying her arms away from his nephew but realized he needed help. "Ryan! Can you give me a hand?"

Recovering from his shock, Ryan ran over to Leo and helped pry Brooke's arms from around the little boy. He could hear Miranda and AJ trying to calm the other children, and then Kendall's and Robin's voices joined the fray. "Are you okay, Leo?" At the negative response he received, Ryan lifted Leo's shirt and winced at the bruises already forming. He gestured for Robin to look at them.

As JR pulled Brooke to her feet, he could hear her mumbling over and over. "That's my grandbaby. I need to take him home. That's my grandbaby. He belongs in Pine Valley with us." On any other day, JR probably would have felt bad for Brooke, but he couldn't now… Not after what she was doing.

After Robin ran out of the room to get the doctor, Ryan walked over to Kendall. "Hey, why don't you help JR get Brooke out of here? I'll stay with the kids and wait for Robin." Kendall nodded in thanks and quickly walked to JR, helping him with the struggling woman.

* * *

As the arguing continued, Bianca stepped in front of Maggie and placed her hands on the shorter woman's shoulders and spoke softly. "Maggie, look at me." After receiving no response, Bianca rubbed her hands up and down Maggie's arms and spoke even softer, "Hey, look at me sweetheart." Maggie finally looked up into Bianca's eyes and in an instant, she started to calm down. "That's it, keep taking deep breaths. It's going to be alright." They were startled apart when the door burst open once more.

"Get in there!" JR yelled as he pushed his stepmother into the room. He looked around the room and took note of the cross looks on everyone's faces. He glared at Tad and spoke in a low growl. "Get her away from me before I do something I regret."

Confused, Tad pulled Brooke close to him. "JR? What's wrong?"

Kendall looked at JR. He was a bull that had just seen red. "Oh boy…" She quickly got out of JR's way and moved to her sister's side, widening her eyes worriedly.

"What's wrong? You've GOT to be kidding me!" JR yelled as he threw his hands in the air. "Brooke has LOST it! She wouldn't let go of Leo and now he's covered in bruis-"

"What!" Maggie exclaimed, her hands starting to shake again.

"Yeah, she kept mumbling over and over that he was hers and that he needed to be with her in PV." At the scowl forming on Maggie's face, Kendall added, "Ryan's with him and Robin went to get the doctor. He's fine." Maggie continued to take deep breaths, trying to quell the rage bubbling to the surface.

Greenlee pointed at Brooke as she scoffed at Tad, "And you're letting HER make the decisions?"

"I can't believe this shit. You do realize that's MY jet right? We leave when I say we leave."

Brooke pulled away from Tad and glared at her stepson. "All I have to do is call Adam and then it is MY jet." She turned away from JR and burned a hole through Maggie. "And YOU…" She growled. Kendall and Bianca both narrowed their eyes at the older woman standing beside Tad. They noticed the look of shock on Tad's face as Brooke continued, "You have done nothing but hurt this family!"

Bianca glanced at Maggie and watched her shake her head back and forth. She heard the shorter woman mumble, "She always does this…"

"You need to shut the f**k up, Brooke!" JR and Greenlee yelled at the same time. They smirked at each other briefly and then JR continued, speaking viciously and pointing at his stepmother. "YOU are the one that has ruined things! EVERY time we get together, you just can't let it go!" He imitated the woman, "Maggie's a bad influence, Maggie got my baby arrested, Maggie sent my precious Jamie away, Maggie's ruined Jamie's life, Maggie kept us from my grandbaby, Maggie made Jamie stay in Paris-"

"Well she DID! She did all of that!" Brooke yelled back. "Just because she couldn't face the GREAT Erica Kane and the rest of her family, we missed out on THREE years of my grandbaby's life! He should be with US! Not here with this- this- this SAD EXCUSE FOR A MOTHER!"

"Now wait just a minute!" Bianca had had enough. She wasn't going to listen to any more of Brooke's vitriol. She started forward quickly but was pulled back by her sister. Bianca glared at Kendall and then, seeing her worried eyes, she followed her line of sight. Maggie's whole body was shaking, her jaw was clenched, a scowl was on her face, and her breathing was erratic. Bianca could no longer hear the argument that continued around her as she watched Maggie reach her breaking point.

"What do you think Jamie's gonna do when he wakes up halfway around the world from his son? Huh? A son that is just as sick as he was three years ago! What are you going to do then? Because you and I both know that this is NOT what he would want!"

Maggie interrupted JR before he could speak again, her voice shaky with anger, "I can't believe you're doing this! I can't believe you're doing this NOW! No, you can't be, not now when my son is about to undergo an experimental treatment that may or may not save his life!" Maggie stepped closer to Brooke. "Jamie has been my family far longer than Leo has been alive and I need him just as much as he needs me! You're taking away a support system when we both really need it!" Maggie shook her head in anger. "I realize you hate me! You have NEVER kept that a secret! But if you love your son and grandson so much, you wouldn't be doing this to them! You not only physically hurt my son today, but you are taking away his father! Jamie might not be able to visit Leo right now, but he will when he wakes up! I hope you're happy with yourself!" She turned to Tad and noticed his apologetic gaze. She shook her head and spoke in a low voice, "Get her out of my f**king hospital before I do it for you."

"Maggie, please, she's just…" Tad frowned. "Everyone deals with the loss of a child differently and-"

"Get out." Maggie scowled.

"Please-"

"Get out!"

Tad nodded sadly and struggled with escorting a screaming Brooke out of the room. "You did this! You put my babies in the hospital! This is YOUR fault!"

"Don't you listen to her, Maggie!" Erica yelled. "She's just a bitter old woman! None of this is your fault!" She turned toward the young mother as she spoke, trying to drown out the other woman's words and offer assurance and comfort at the same time.

JR helped Tad get Brooke the rest of the way out of the room and then threw back behind him on the way out, "I'll be back in a bit. I need to talk my dad out of giving this bitch what she wants."

"Um, yeah, I need to go check on the kids." Kendall mumbled awkwardly as she ran out of the room behind JR.

Maggie turned around and stared at the chair in front of her. She couldn't calm down. Brooke always knew how to push her buttons, make her blood pressure rise. _And it sure has risen…_ Maggie grabbed the arms of the chair and gripped them tightly, her knuckles turning white. She stood there for a long moment and then she picked the chair up roughly and threw it across the room. It surprised the remaining women in the room, but they were lucky enough to be out of the area of attack as the arms of the chair broke off on impact.

Bianca watched Maggie rub her shaking hands over her face, the shorter woman's erratic breathing getting worrisome. "Maggie, sweetheart? Don't listen to her-" Bianca walked closer and noticed blood seeping through Maggie's scrub top. She gasped. "What happened?"

* * *

"Kendall, could you get Ryan to help JR? I really need to see my grandson before we leave."

"Yeah, Tad. Just a minute." Kendall returned with Ryan and then escorted Tad toward Leo.

"Grampa Tad!" Leo exclaimed as the doctor finished putting numbing cream on his bruises.

Tad knelt down in front of Leo with tears in his eyes. "Oh Leo, I'm so sorry." He rubbed the little boy's buzzed hair. "I love your haircut."

Leo smiled. "Thanks. All the guys got 'em with me."

"That's really sweet of them." Tad gently hugged his grandson. "I love you, Leo, more than anything in this world." He pulled away and looked into the little boy's eyes. "And no matter what happens, just remember that everything is going to be okay."

Leo smiled brightly and nodded. "I know, Grampa."

"I wish I could stay, but I need to get your Brooke home." Tad struggled to keep his emotions hidden. "I promise I'll visit again soon." He rubbed Leo's buzzed hair again and smiled. "I love you, buddy."

"I love you too, Grampa."

* * *

Maggie looked down at her shirt and sighed. In all the commotion, she hadn't realized she pulled her stitches. She felt Bianca's hand gently find a place on her back and closed her eyes. _It's amazing how just her touch can calm me._

"Can I?" Bianca tentatively asked as Erica and Greenlee walked outside the room to give the women some privacy.

"Yes." Maggie responded as she lifted her arm and winced at the pain.

Bianca lifted Maggie's scrub top to mid stomach. "This doesn't look good, Maggie. How did you get this?" When the shorter woman only shrugged, Bianca sighed and let the shirt slide back down Maggie's torso. She frowned as she thought back to the other night. "Reese did this, didn't she?"

"Yes." Maggie whispered.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Bianca's voice was filled with worry and a little bit of annoyance.

Maggie shrugged again. "I took care of it."

"Well, it's not taken care of anymore… and it looks infected, Maggie." Bianca walked over to the cabinet by the door. She pulled out supplies to re-clean the wound and stitch it back up. She also pulled out a numbing agent and an antibiotic. "I'm glad the French don't lock this stuff up."

"Yeah." Maggie mumbled and started to regret ever teaching Bianca how to mend a wound.

Bianca walked back over to Maggie and set the supplies on the table next to the nearest cot. She then placed one hand on Maggie's stomach and one on her back, both at the edges of the shorter woman's shirt. "Lift your arms."

Maggie's eyes widened and her mouth went dry. "Bianca, no, I- I'm not wearing anything underneath this."

Bianca lifted an arched eyebrow. "It's not like you've got anything under there I haven't seen before." Maggie let out a breath and then raised her arms slowly, wincing as her right arm stretched her wound. Bianca carefully lifted the scrub top over Maggie's torso, her breasts, and up over her head, gently helping her arms out of the sleeves. She was stopped short at the beauty before her but quickly averted her gaze. "Okay, go ahead and lay down on the cot."

Bianca noticed Maggie's smirk and shook her head. "I'm not- Oh, just lay down." Maggie did what was asked of her. She slowly lowered herself onto the cot, lying on her back so Bianca could tend to the wound. Bianca gently raised Maggie's arm and administered the numbing agent. "While that's working, I'll clean up this blood." She took the supplies she had gotten and gently cleaned the wound.

"You've gotten a lot better at that." Maggie commented, trying to keep her mind on the clinical reasons why Bianca was touching her in such a delicate manner. She was failing miserably as her breath hitched and goosebumps started covering her skin. Bianca smiled on the inside at Maggie's reaction to her touch and the hope that, one day in the future, she and Maggie might find their way back to being together. "Bianca… When was the last time you sewed something?" Maggie asked nervously.

"I fixed Miranda's teddy bear the other day." Bianca looked up from the wound. "Gabby decided it needed a haircut and ended up taking off an ear. I sewed that on beautifully." She watched Maggie's eyes widen. "Relax, it will be fine." Bianca placated as she begun stitching her friend's wound. Once Bianca was finished, she put a few steri-strips over the stitches and then covered her handiwork with a bandage.

Maggie watched Bianca gently apply pressure to the bandage and then gather the trash. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized just how more beautiful her friend had become over the years. She hadn't thought it was possible. She felt Bianca gently lift her into a sitting position next to her on the cot. "I've got another clean one in my bag." She offered. Once Bianca sat back down on the cot, Maggie raised her arms and let her friend help her with the clean scrub top. She felt Bianca's hands slowly caress the sides of her arms and her torso as Bianca slid the shirt over her body and she instantly missed the contact once Bianca had removed her hands.

Hypnotized by each other's beautiful eyes and the depth of emotions shown within, both women leaned toward the other. Their lips almost touching, Bianca and Maggie were startled apart by the door opening. They both sighed at the bad timing. Realizing who had joined them, Maggie quickly stood with Bianca's help. "What's up, Doc?"

Dr. Truett laughed at her friend's lame joke. _The same lame joke she always uses…_ Once Erica, Greenlee, Kendall, and Robin had followed into the room, the doctor shut the door. She looked at the broken chair on the floor and then looked at Maggie. "I don't want to know what that's about." She shook her head. "We got the results back from all the samples."

Maggie's shoulders slumped as she heard the tone of her friend's voice. "No matches then?"

"I'm afraid not."

"How is it that none of us are a match?" Bianca asked confused.

The doctor sighed. "Unfortunately, the odds of finding a match from a donor who is not blood related is one in twenty thousand."

"But it still happens, right?" Erica asked, concern etching her features.

"Yes, we get about twenty-five thousand matches from the bone marrow registry every year."

"And you tested all the Martins?" Bianca asked, trying to think of Leo's blood relatives.

"Yeah, they all were tested with everyone in Port Charles three years ago." Robin replied.

"What about your mother and father, dear?" Erica asked as she turned to Maggie.

Maggie shook her head; her voice filled with emotion, she whispered, "I don't know where they are." She felt Bianca's hand caress her back and immediately turned into the taller woman's arms.


	14. Chapter 14

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 14:**

The doctor cleared her throat and broke up the moment between Bianca and Maggie. "I'm sorry, but it's about that time and we need to get Leo prepped for treatment."

"Yeah, okay." Maggie said as she pulled away from Bianca's embrace and looked into her eyes. "Could you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Will you go check on Jamie? If he's leaving… I just want to make sure he's alright."

Bianca held Maggie's hand gently. "Of course."

"Thank you." Maggie watched Bianca nod and then walk toward the door. "And Bianca?" She continued when the younger woman turned, "Please tell him we love him." She watched her friend nod once more and then open the door.

"I'll go with you." Kendall said as she grabbed her coat and started after her sister. "I haven't seen Jamie yet."

Robin turned toward the doctor as the two women left and pointed toward the door. "Leo's still in the playroom with the other kids." At the doctor's acknowledgement, Robin raised an eyebrow in silent question at Greenlee, and the other woman nodded in agreement. "Hey Mags, Greenlee and I are going to take the rest of the kids back to Bianca's house. They haven't eaten since breakfast and I know they're all pretty upset after Brooke's arrival."

"Yeah, okay." Maggie replied distractedly as Robin and Greenlee looked worriedly in her direction.

"I'll come with you. I need Ryan's assistance." Erica didn't elaborate as she followed behind the two women.

Dr. Truett quietly watched Maggie's shaky hands put her hair in a ponytail. "Are you ready?"

Maggie looked up at her friend and crossed her arms to stop her hands from shaking. "Yeah, thanks Marian. Let's go get my little man better."

* * *

"So why are we going to the Cambias building?" Ryan asked as he drove one of Bianca's cars out of the hospital parking lot.

Erica finished sending a text message to Jack and turned to Ryan. "I spoke with Bianca before we left. She's making sure we have everything at our disposal to find Maggie's parents."

"I thought she wasn't on good terms with them?"

Erica stared out the window as they passed a playground. "You know just as well as anyone that things change when children are involved." She turned back to Ryan. "Besides, we haven't exactly told her we're looking…"

* * *

Worried, Aiden paced back and forth in front of Maggie's couch. He had spoken to Jason again and had run some errands to gather supplies. _Now, I'm waiting for those two… Where the hell are they?_ Aiden heard a key jiggle in the lock and pulled out his gun, pointing it at the door. When the two men walked into the room carrying grocery sacks, Aiden put his gun away and shook his head. "What the hell is all that?"

Zach shrugged. "Our cover."

"We had to get stuff for Thursday." At Aiden's thoughtful look, Patrick explained further, "You know, Thanksgiving is in two days… Long story short, we couldn't get away from Robin and Greenlee and this was his bright idea."

Opening the refrigerator door, Zach started putting the items away and mumbled, "I didn't hear you come up with anything…"

"Okay, whatever… We need to go over the plan for tomorrow." Aiden looked at Zach in shock as he pulled a giant frozen turkey from one of the sacks. "Good lord, man, who exactly do you think is coming to this thing?"

Zach chuckled as he shoved the turkey into Maggie's freezer. "Besides the fact that the Magster can pack away a good portion of the bird by herself, we do have a lot of people in town. I don't think we'll have to worry about leftovers."

"That is true…" Aiden laughed as he sat down at the table. Patrick joined him and looked at a set of blueprints. Handing beers to his friends, Zach sat down as well. "So I spoke with Anna earlier and she told me that the French government has handed over jurisdiction of this case to the CIA. It sounded like they didn't really want to deal with the headache."

Patrick took a long swig of his beer. "Who would? This whole thing is pretty f**ked up."

"The CIA," Aiden pointed to a photograph of two men, "Well, these two agents are going to transport Reese to a more secure location tomorrow afternoon. We intend to hijack the transfer." Aiden paused for a moment to let the information sink in. "We need the agents to be on camera driving off in the transport van, so you two will drug them-"

Patrick scoffed, "How are we supposed to do that?"

"I'm sure he's getting to that…" Zach calmly responded.

Aiden nodded and then pointed to the building blueprints. "Patrick, you'll be donning a disguise and meeting the agents here… You must be sure not to touch anything because you will be wearing a film on your hand. When you shake their hands in greeting, the film will be absorbed into their skin." He pointed to the packets and a mechanism on the table. "That is how you'll get a new film on your hand for the second handshake. It's a really quick, unseen process and I'll show you how to use it later. As for the sedative, it's a slow acting agent, so they'll be good to drive for about twenty minutes until they start to feel drowsy. As soon as you shake their hands, you'll excuse yourself and walk north a block. Zach will be waiting for you there in one of the rental cars. Jason's got the cash for those, so we'll be picking them up tonight."

"Sounds simple enough so far." Zach smirked as he noticed the apprehension in Patrick's eyes.

Aiden laid out a map in front of the two men and pointed to a circle drawn on it. "I've already run the route, made sure there's no surveillance at any place we'll be, and timed the drive, so I will be meeting you here. This is about a hundred yards from where the agents will have to stop the van. Jason will be further down the road with a very weak EMP device. That will take out all electronic devices in a ten yard radius, but luckily for us, this area is fairly deserted." Aiden sat back and took a long drink of his beer. "At this point, we'll meet Jason at the van and remove the agents. They will be out for two hours, but Jason and I will only need one. You'll put them in the trunk of the car and drive around. We need them to look pretty banged up, kind of like they were thrown from the van."

"So what are you and Jason going to do for an hour?" Patrick asked as he watched Zach walk back over to the fridge.

Aiden looked down at the table and hesitated for a moment. "Sonny wants a certain amount of torture inflicted… So, we'll see if we can get any information out of her and then we'll torch the van."

"The worst death imaginable…" Zach stared at the fridge door, noticing the artwork and photographs for the first time. His heart ached as he looked them over. He placed a hand on each side of the fridge and gripped it tightly, trying to quell the anger inside. He finally spoke in a low growl, "I'll take pleasure in watching the bitch burn."

* * *

Anna wiped at the tear that fell down her cheek as she and Jack left Jamie's hospital room. Jack held a comforting hand to the small of the woman's back as he shut the door behind them and walked to the elevator. As the elevator doors opened, Bianca and Kendall were surprised to see the two. They exchanged hugs and spoke briefly before parting ways. When the sisters reached the door to Jamie's room, Bianca placed her hand on the knob and hesitated. Without a word spoken, Kendall placed a gentle hand over her sister's and they turned the knob together.

The sisters walked into the dimly lit room, both thankful that Jamie's parents were nowhere in sight. Bianca stood off to the side, overwhelmed by the state of her friend. Kendall let her sister have a moment and walked over to the younger man lying in the hospital bed. She noticed the disconnected respirator off to the side and was thankful Jamie was starting to get better. She gently brushed some hair from his forehead and gave him a light kiss on his cheek. She whispered in his ear, "Hi Jamie, it's Kendall. I know we weren't ever really close, but so many people in my life love you dearly and that means something to me. Thank you for taking care of Maggie and Leo. He's a beautiful boy, but you already knew that." She closed her eyes and a tear slipped down her cheek. "You've got a lot of people that love you and need you waiting for you to wake up. Please do it soon, Jamie." Kendall felt her sister stand beside her, Bianca's hand rubbing her back in comfort. She wiped her eyes and then moved aside, pointing toward the door. "I'm going to call Greenlee and see how the kids are doing."

Bianca nodded and then sat down in the chair beside Jamie's bed. She gently grasped his hand and looked over his tired face, wondering how he could look so tired while he was in a coma. "Hey James, it's Bianca. I'm sorry you've gotten hurt because of Reese. I didn't know she was obsessed with Maggie, I swear. If I had, maybe none of this would have happened… You'd be sitting at home with your beautiful son and your best friend, happy…" Bianca sighed. "I've made a lot of mistakes, Jamie, and I have a lot of regrets… But I'm really glad Maggie had you to lean on. I'm glad you gave her Leo and that she was able to find you again."

Bianca wiped at her eyes, the emotion overwhelming her. "I can see the love you three share. I can see what an extraordinary family you are and I'm so thankful for you and your son. I only wish I could have been there to experience those years that I lost with all of you." She cleared her throat and smiled slightly. "I told Maggie that I still love her. I know I probably don't deserve another chance, but I want to get it right this time. She's my soulmate, Jamie, and I can no longer live my life without her in it. I don't know if we're going to get back together, Lord knows we have so much to still work through, but at least we're friends again." Bianca grasped Jamie's hand tighter, her voice taking on a firmer tone, "I promise you that I will be here for her, no matter what, but that doesn't mean that you can just lay there and take a vacation, James Martin." Bianca kissed her friend on the cheek. "Please Jamie, your family and friends need you to wake up and get better. We love you so much, please keep fighting."

* * *

Lying on one of the cots, staring at the ceiling tiles, Maggie tried to keep her thoughts away from her son's condition. She couldn't deal with the possible outcomes any longer. _There are just too many variables! _Maggie thought back to three years ago and the phone call she had made to her cousin David. She would have done anything for her son and she finally understood why he had chosen Babe, his daughter, over Bianca. They had reconciled somewhat that day and when they found out he wasn't a donor match days later, he had promised to find the rest of her blood relatives. _And he did. He found just about everyone. _None of their relatives turned out to be a viable match and that's when Maggie realized she needed to get the Martins involved. _I just didn't want to hurt them… But that's exactly what's happening. I just wish David could have found Mom and Dad._ Maggie sighed and threw her arm over her eyes to block out the light that found its way through the window. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep, her mind still running at full speed, but at least she could let her body rest.

* * *

"Do you need some help with that turkey?" Aiden called out to Zach as he struggled to pull the large bird out of Maggie's freezer.

Zach chuckled as he finally got a good grip on the bird and yanked on it. "I got it."

"Do you need help getting this cleaned up?" Patrick pointed at the mess they had made while going through the plan.

Aiden shook his head. "Thanks, but no, I got it." He chuckled as Zach yelled for Patrick to help him with the grocery sacks. When the two men came back into the room, Aiden slipped a key into Zach's jacket pocket. "I've already paid cash for the room and I'll be heading over there with all this stuff tonight to check in. Checkout is at noon tomorrow, so get there at ten. That silicone skin is a bitch to deal with, so that will give us enough time to get you two into disguise."

"Sounds good." Zach said as he gestured for his accomplice to open the door. "We'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

The room darkened as Maggie spent the time waiting for Leo to get back from his radiation treatment. Maggie moved to roll over, but was met with a twinge of pain in her side. _Oh yeah…_ She gently moved her hand over the top of the bandage. She was instantly brought back to earlier in the day when Bianca had stitched her up. She sighed. _Is it wrong to want to just fall into Bianca's arms? Should I really want to be happy right now? _Maggie sat up and noticed how late it had gotten. Hours had passed without her even realizing. _Leo should be getting back soon. My focus should be on him. _She thought about all the times she had wished Bianca had been around when Leo first got sick. _But I sure as hell wasn't going to call her… She made it perfectly clear I was no longer a part of her life. _Maggie ran her free hand through her hair. _Don't do that. She's already said that she wants what you want now._ Maggie walked to the windowsill and picked up her cell phone, finding the number Bianca had given her earlier. _It's okay to still need her._ Maggie closed her eyes and sighed.

The door opened, startling Maggie, her eyes immediately finding her son's sleepy ones looking back at her. She put her cell phone back on the windowsill and walked over to the bed, helping the nurse move Leo from the gurney. "Hey baby, how's my little man?"

Leo shrugged slightly and leaned his head against his pillows. "I'm tired."

Maggie gently caressed her son's cheek as the nurse filled a syringe and readied an IV bag. The nurse cleared her throat and Maggie squeezed Leo's hand. "Just a little stick, sweetie." The needle pierced the skin on Leo's skull, part of the chemotherapy being injected into the little boy's Ommaya reservoir. When the nurse was finished, Maggie placed a kiss on Leo's forehead. "Just rest now." She watched her son close his eyes and drift off to sleep as the nurse adjusted the IV bag with the rest of the chemotherapy drugs. Maggie sat down in the chair beside the bed and held her son's hand. She knew that once the medication started getting into his system he would not have a restful sleep, so she waited.

* * *

"Okay kiddos, bedtime is in an hour!" Greenlee yelled into the den as she carried the wine bottle and two glasses to the living room. She handed the bottle to Robin and slumped into the couch. "This has been the longest day ever."

"No kidding." Robin responded as she poured the wine and then handed her friend a glass. "Mmm, that's good. Bianca has great taste in wine."

"That she does." Greenlee looked over to Robin for a moment and contemplated her next words before asking, "Are you going to keep giving Bianca a hard time?"

Robin sighed and shook her head. "I was upset and I was out of line. It's been a long time and it really is none of my business." She took a long drink of her wine. "Only Maggie and Bianca know what's right for them. So, no, I won't give Bianca a hard time anymore."

"Well that's good to know." Both women turned to the new voice, surprised that they hadn't heard the front door open and close. "I'm sorry, we didn't mean to eavesdrop but you two were just in your own little world over there."

Robin quickly stood. "Bianca, I'm sorry-"

Bianca waved her hand in the air dismissively. "No apologies necessary." She noticed the wine bottle on the coffee table. "Oooh, is that-"

"It sure is. Let me go get you two a glass."

Greenlee stood from the couch and hugged Bianca. "You okay?" At Bianca's nod, Greenlee released her friend and moved toward her partner. She noticed the sadness in Kendall's eyes and pulled her close. "Why don't you guys go play with the kids before bedtime? I'm sure that will raise your spirits."

"Yeah, it will. They had us laughing in no time this afternoon!" Robin exclaimed as she handed each woman a glass of wine.

Bianca and Kendall both took an appreciative drink of their wine and sighed. "Oh, that's good." They both said and the four women laughed. Greenlee pointed toward the den and the two sisters took that as their cue.

* * *

"Anna, wait up!" Aiden hopped out of his car as soon as he saw his aunt approach the hospital. "Hi, Jackson."

"Hello, Aiden." Jack gave the man a side-arm hug. "You're looking well. What have you been up to?"

"Thanks. Work keeps me travelling." Aiden replied as he followed behind Anna and Jack as they headed to the elevator. "You?"

Jack chuckled. "Oh, just dealing with the never-ending drama in Pine Valley."

Anna finally spoke as the elevator doors opened, "What's that you've got there, Aiden?"

Aiden smiled. "Oh I ran by Maggie's and grabbed a few of Leo's favorite things."

"That was really sweet." Anna responded as she looked through the window to Leo's hospital room. "Looks like he's asleep, so let's be quiet." The men nodded and followed Anna into the room.

Maggie looked up from her son's hand to see the visitors and smiled, happy to see them. "Anna…" She stood and met the woman she thought of as a mother halfway to the door. Their hug was interrupted by Leo's quiet voice calling for his mother. Maggie rushed back to his side and realized he was about to be sick. She grabbed the bin and rubbed Leo's back as he threw up. "Shh, it's okay."

Anna handed Maggie a wet washcloth and watched the younger woman, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Maggie gently wiped at Leo's face and then his neck before easing him back down to a lying position.

Leo shook his head and adjusted the bed to a sitting position. "Hi, Gramma." He opened his arms and Anna immediately wrapped the boy in a gentle embrace.

"Hi, sweetie." Anna said as she took Maggie's vacated seat.

Maggie walked over to Aiden and wrapped her arms around her cousin. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Me too, Maggie."

"Thank you for everything that you did to help get Miranda back."

"No thanks needed, hon." Aiden tightened his hold on his cousin and whispered in her ear. "Anything for you."

"Uncle Aiden!" Leo quietly exclaimed as he finally noticed the other visitors. He opened his arms again and was met with a hug and a kiss on his forehead. "What's that?" He asked as he pointed to the bag his uncle had set on the floor.

Aiden smirked. "Oh, this old thing?" When the little boy smiled and nodded, Aiden picked up the bag and pulled out a stuffed pig.

"Babe!" Leo exclaimed as he reached for his favorite stuffed animal.

Maggie winced slightly and Jack chuckled. "I tried to get him to change the name, but no, it HAD to be the pig from that movie… I swear…"

Jack just wrapped his arm around the tiny woman's shoulders and gave her a kiss on the top of her head as he continued to chuckle softly. "Why did you even let him watch it?"

Maggie turned and buried her head in Jack's chest. She mumbled, "I didn't. He saw it in French class. Who'd have thought pigs could speak French?"

"Hey Mama, look! Uncle Aiden brought me Babe!"

Maggie turned toward her son and managed a small smile. "I see that, honey." She glared at her cousin. "How sweet of you."

Aiden heard Anna and Jackson chuckle quietly as he stared down the tiny woman shooting him a death glare. "I brought something else." He pulled out a head lamp and Leo squealed with delight.

"What is that?"

"You don't go camping much, do you Jackson?" Aiden asked as he helped Leo wrap the band around his head. "See, it's a flashlight you wear on your head like a miner."

"Leo loves this thing and we're not really sure why…" Maggie added quietly, and then smiled. "But he sure is cute."

* * *

"Sleep tight." Bianca said as she turned out the light in the guest room. She walked back downstairs and grabbed a newly filled wine glass from her sister. "Thanks. They're all lying in that king-size bed up there." She chuckled.

"All six of them?" Kendall asked, surprised as Bianca nodded in response. "When is JR picking AJ up?" When Bianca shrugged, Kendall turned toward Greenlee and raised her brow in question. "Honey?"

Startled from her thoughts, Greenlee sat up and poured herself another glass of wine. "He said he'd be here around eight or nine tomorrow morning."

The door opened loudly as two struggling men tried to keep a hold of the bags in their hands. "Come on, Zach! This thing is heavy!" Patrick grumbled as he tried to juggle his grocery sacks. "I can't believe you made me carry the turkey…"

"Oh quit whining." Zach said as he rolled his eyes. He stopped short when he noticed the four women staring at them. "Hello ladies."

"What did you do, buy everything at the market?" Kendall asked as she stood to help the two men with the bags. "Oh my God, Zach… Are you sure that's a turkey?"

"More like Big Bird…" Patrick grumbled as he followed Bianca into the kitchen.

"So I guess we're feeding an army then?" Kendall asked.

"No, just Maggie." Bianca, Zach, Greenlee, and Robin answered at the same time and laughed.

"So how are the kids?" Zach asked.

"Surprisingly well with what they went through today." At Zach's questioning look, Kendall explained what had happened earlier. "Greenlee and Robin talked to them about how everyone is just really worried and upset about Leo. They seemed to accept that explanation."

Zach was fuming at what he had just heard. "I'm going to-"

Kendall placed a calming hand on Zach's forearm. "Hey, there's nothing left to do. As soon as Jamie wakes up, one of our jets will go pick him up and get him back here. Until then, we just have to be there for Maggie."

* * *

An hour passed by as Anna sat on the cot by the wall. Maggie's head in her lap, Anna's fingers ran through the tiny woman's hair. Maggie's eyes closed, she sighed appreciatively as her surrogate mother soothed her troubles away. Anna had spent the hour holding Maggie and watching Jackson and Aiden play cards with Leo, stopping every now and then to take care of the little boy when he got sick. It had taken everything for Anna to convince Maggie to try to get some sleep and let the two men look after her son. Maggie had finally relented and nodded off for a half hour before she got restless. Anna had spent the last half hour trying to soothe her back to sleep. _And I think she's almost there…_ Anna's thought was broken up when the door to the room opened and she heard the click-clack of heels. _Please don't wake up… _Anna wasn't so lucky as Maggie immediately opened her eyes and looked toward the door.

Erica walked briskly toward the cot while Ryan pulled two chairs in front of it. They both sat down and waited for Maggie to rub the sleep from her eyes. Jack and Aiden were thankful that the nurse came in at that moment to check Leo's vitals. They excused themselves and joined the group in the corner.

"What's going on?" Maggie asked.

"Ryan and I have been at Cambias utilizing all available resources to find your mother and father." Erica watched Maggie frown but held up her hand to forestall any interruption. "We have good news and bad news."

"Bad news first, Erica." Anna answered for Maggie as she pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to stop the headache that was beginning to form.

Ryan handed a folder to Maggie. "It took all day, but we were able to have several authorities verify that your father passed away ten years ago due to complications from his treatment for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma."

Maggie looked at the paperwork in the folder and sighed. She hadn't known her father, but it was still surreal to get the information that he was dead. "Okay, what's the good news?"

Erica turned toward Anna. "During our search, we found out why you haven't been able to get in touch with David."

"What?" Anna asked, surprised.

"Is he alright?" Maggie exclaimed.

"Yes, yes, he's fine. He's actually in Wisconsin." Erica responded.

Maggie turned toward Anna, a look of confusion on her face. "I thought he already looked there…"

"Yes, he did; however, he started digging again a few months ago when Leo started to feel unwell again." Erica nodded to Ryan and he handed Maggie another folder. "We spoke with David and he confirmed what our investigators had found out this evening."

Aiden watched Maggie open the folder and stare at the documents inside. He shook his head in disbelief. "How did you guys do in one day what I've been trying to do for years?"

Erica turned toward Aiden and smiled devilishly. "You've just got to know the right people and have the right resources." She turned back to Maggie. "You can see why David had such a hard time finding her the first time. He didn't think to look-"

"In prison… My mother's in prison?"

Anna's eyes widened as she looked to Aiden. "That would definitely explain it… We never thought to look there…"

"Which prison?" Jackson asked quickly, already thinking of the legalities of getting the woman tested.

"Why is she there?" Aiden asked, wondering if the woman had finally done the unthinkable.

"She's at Taycheedah. It's a little over an hour northeast of Madison. She's there because-"

"Why am I not surprised?" Maggie interrupted Erica, disgust in her voice, "Her drunk driving killed a family of four."

Anna grabbed the folder out of Maggie's hands. "She has thirty years left on her sentence." She looked at Erica, her eyes narrowing. "So what's the good news?"

"David received permission from the warden to get Maggie's mother tested for a possible donor match. She's getting the workup tonight. David will get the results in the morning. He'll call us and then we'll go from there."

Jack rubbed his forehead, running thoughts and ideas through his head. "If she is a match, then she would need to come to Paris to do the transplant, correct?" Maggie nodded her head. "Alright, that might be a difficult task but it's not impossible. We have options. I'll do some research tonight and then I'll call a buddy of mine in Milwaukee tomorrow morning to get some more information."

For the first time since Erica had dropped the bombshell, Maggie smiled slightly as she looked up at Bianca's uncle. "Thanks, Jack. What she did is unimaginable to me, killing a family like that, and as much as I don't want her out of prison for a single moment, I won't let that stop me from saving my son if she comes back a match." Maggie sighed as she shook her head. "What a day…"

"You can say that again." Anna said as she stood from the cot. "I need to get some sleep. I was up all night and we've got a big day tomorrow with the transfer."

Jack placed a hand on Erica's shoulder. "Yes, we should get going as well."

Anna, Jack, and Erica exchanged hugs with Maggie and Leo before leaving the room. Ryan and Aiden talked quietly in the corner as Maggie adjusted Leo's blankets. "I need to get going too." Ryan said as he shook Aiden's hand and gave Leo a pat on the head and Maggie a side-arm hug.

"Alright little man, you take it easy tonight, okay?"

"I will, Uncle Aiden." Leo smiled as he hugged his stuffed pig. "Thanks for bringing Babe and my light."

Aiden leaned down and gave the little boy a hug and a kiss on the forehead. "You're welcome. I love you, Leo."

"I love you too."

Maggie smiled as she listened to her son. She turned on the bathroom light and cracked the door. For the first time in the last week or so, she felt a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She watched Aiden walk toward her and she smiled again. "Thanks for bringing his stuff. He's never had a treatment without them, but I just couldn't bring myself to leave again."

"Don't worry about it." Aiden wrapped his cousin in a tight embrace. "I love you, Mags."

"I love you too."

"You sure you don't need me to stay?"

"I'm sure. Thanks though. See you tomorrow?"

"Of course." Aiden walked toward the door and opened it, turning back around and waving, he whispered, "Sweet dreams you two."

Maggie kissed her sleepy son on his forehead. "How are you feeling baby?"

"I don't feel so sick anymore, but I'm really tired." Leo responded with a yawn.

Maggie caressed her son's cheek and whispered in his ear, "You just go to sleep baby. I'm right here."

Leo nodded as he snuggled up with his stuffed pig. "I love you, Mama."

"I love you too, baby." Maggie kissed her son one more time and then turned out the rest of the lights in the room. She walked back over to the window and looked up at the night sky. She picked her cell phone up and called the number that was still on the screen. After a few moments, she heard that sweet voice answer and she sighed, "Hey Bianca…"


	15. Chapter 15

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 15:**

Not wanting to startle the occupants inside, Bianca slowly opened the door to Leo's hospital room. Bianca didn't see Maggie anywhere but she did see Leo holding onto a stuffed pig, sucking his thumb, and watching a portable DVD player. She shut the door behind her and smiled when the little boy looked up at her. "Hi, Leo."

Leo didn't remove his thumb from his mouth causing his response to be mumbled, "Hi, Miss Bianca."

Bianca frowned as she noticed Leo's red, puffy eyes and the tear tracks on his cheeks. "Honey, are you alright? Shouldn't you be asleep?"

Leo sniffled, mumbling, "I couldn't sleep. Everything hurts."

"I'm sorry sweetheart." Bianca said sadly as she sat down in the chair next to Leo's bed, her heart breaking at seeing the pain in his eyes. "What are you watching?" She looked at the tiny screen and immediately smiled as she recognized the show from when Miranda was little.

Leo removed his thumb from his mouth, pressed pause on the DVD player, and then reached for his juice box. "It's 'Kipper'. Mama only lets me watch it when I get my medicine, like a star."

Confused, Bianca asked, "A star?" As Leo nodded and went back to sucking his thumb, Bianca realized what he was trying to say. "Oh, like a reward for doing good?" Leo nodded again and Bianca looked around the room once more. "Where is your mother?"

"She went to get medicine."

Bianca nodded and then pointed at the stuffed pig in Leo's arms. "Who do you have there?"

Leo snuggled closer with his stuffed pig and smiled. He watched the door to his room open and watched his mother balance the medicine along with two cups of coffee as she shut the door behind her. Maggie smiled at Bianca and then handed her one of the cups of coffee, both women taking a long drink of the hot liquid. Leo cleared his throat and looked proudly at his mother's friend as he smiled. "Her name is Babe."

Surprised, Bianca half-laughed, half-snorted her coffee and started coughing. Maggie took the cup away and then patted her friend on the back. Bianca turned her head and arched an eyebrow in Maggie's direction. She started to laugh at the disgusted look on her friend's face as Maggie set the cups of coffee down and injected the pain medicine into Leo's IV. Bianca turned back to the confused little boy, clearing her throat, "That's a beautiful name. How did you think of it?"

Leo then smiled again and held the stuffed pig out to Bianca. "I saw the movie at school and then Daddy brought her home for me. She's pretty isn't she?"

Bianca looked at the stuffed pig in her hands and tried not to laugh again. She could only imagine the look on Maggie's face when Jamie had brought the stuffed animal home. "Um, yes sweetheart, she's a beautiful stuffed pig." She heard Maggie cough behind her and smiled. "Here you go. Why don't you watch some more of your show while I talk to your mother?" When Leo nodded, Bianca stood and kissed the little boy on the forehead before she followed Maggie to the cot that was up against the wall.

Maggie rolled her eyes at her friend and then handed Bianca the cup of coffee she had been drinking. "Here." She sat down next to Bianca and leaned against the wall, sulking. "Jamie was lucky to make it out of that day alive." She shook her head as Bianca chuckled. "Give my baby a stuffed pig after he watched that movie… of course he was going to name it Babe." Maggie glared at Bianca as the younger woman tried to contain her laughter. "And now that damn pig is his favorite stuffed animal. He practically takes her everywhere and I swear I still cringe when I hear that name."

Bianca patted Maggie's knee and smiled. "I'm sure it's not that bad. She makes him happy."

"I know and I guess it IS a little funny." Maggie chuckled.

"So what's up with the headlamp?"

Maggie smiled as she looked at her son. "Leo was scared a lot when he first got sick. He was scared of the dark, of monsters, of the hospital, everything really and Aiden brought this back from one of his 'trips' to protect him. Leo was really upset that he didn't have it or that pig with him for his treatment today, but then Aiden surprised us when he brought them over a few hours ago. Leo's been a lot more relaxed since then."

"That's really sweet." Bianca smiled as she took another drink of coffee. "He is such a great kid, Maggie, so adorable."

Maggie smiled sadly. "Yeah, he is." She quickly changed the subject. "Hey, I didn't pull you away from anything, did I?"

Bianca noticed the abrupt subject change and decided to just go with it for now. "Not really… Zach and Patrick had just gotten home with all the stuff for Thanksgiving and we were just sitting around talking and drinking wine." She sighed, frowning, "I'm sorry it took me so long to get here."

Maggie tilted her head in question, "Is everything alright? Is Miranda okay?"

"In regards to the kidnapping, Miranda's doing great. Uncle Jack said that the therapist was really pleased with Miranda's reaction to the events that happened. She doesn't anticipate any after effects of the trauma causing problems."

"That's great news. I was really worried that she'd be withdrawn."

"Nope, she was acting normal when I got home today and playing with all the kids." Bianca smiled. "I was a little worried too, but she's strong. The kids are actually having a sleepover. All six of them are sleeping in that king-size bed in the guest room."

Maggie laughed. "Sounds like a party. I'm glad JR let AJ spend the night before they have to leave."

"Me too. I think it's good for the kids to hang out." Bianca handed her empty coffee cup to Maggie's outstretched hand as the smaller woman stood.

Maggie threw the cups in the trash can and then sat back down beside Bianca. "So, it sounded like something else is going on with Miranda besides the kidnapping…"

Bianca looked down at her hands and sighed. "Yes… It's why I was late. She had a nightmare about Leo and it really shook her up." Bianca looked back up at Maggie. "Thankfully she didn't wake the rest of the kids when she got out of bed to come get me. She really wanted to come with me tonight, make sure he was okay and see you, but I finally calmed her down promising her we'll visit tomorrow."

"So…" Maggie hesitated a moment, afraid of the answer. "What happened in the nightmare?"

Bianca quickly looked away as she mumbled, "It's not important."

Taking her friend's hand, Maggie waited until Bianca was looking at her again. "Yes, it is. Please tell me."

The younger woman sighed in resignation. "All she would tell me is that Leo was bleeding and the doctors couldn't stop it. She said that he died and you left again." Bianca looked at her friend and watched the saddened look overtake Maggie's features again. "It was just a nightmare, but she's still scared. She doesn't want to lose him and she certainly doesn't want to lose you again."

"Right." Maggie closed her eyes as pain seeped into her heart once again. "Everything is so screwed up." After a long moment, she sighed. "You know, sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing."

Bianca tilted her head in question. "How so?"

The older woman shrugged and leaned back against the wall, staring at her beautiful son. "I kept Leo away from so many people that should have been a part of his life. Brooke's right. Everyone's missed at least half of his life and it's my fault."

"Maggie, you did what you thought was right. You were a wonderful mother to Miranda and I can see how extraordinary you are with Leo." Bianca took Maggie's hand in hers and squeezed. "Don't let anyone tell you any differently."

"I just-"

"No, Maggie, you can't change the past."

"I know." The older woman frowned and looked down at her hands, thinking of past mistakes.

Bianca lifted Maggie's chin so she could look into her beautiful eyes. "Hey, no more of that. Right here and now is what's important. There's no room for regrets here, okay?" Maggie closed her eyes and nodded her head in response. "So, you said you had some news?"

Maggie shifted and turned toward the younger woman, a smile once again on her face. "Yeah, Erica found David."

"I see the smile on your face, but I also hear the name David coming from your mouth, so I'm a little confused…"

"Oh, yeah, well, long story short… We reconciled when Leo first got sick and he's been on a mission to find all of our blood relatives." Maggie squeezed her friend's hand. "I'll tell you the whole story another time, but right now, all that matters is that he found my mother."

Bianca smiled brightly. "That's great news! Where is she? Is she getting tested?"

"She's actually in prison for vehicular homicide, but David got the warden to agree to get her tested. We should know something in the morning."

"Wow, okay. Well that is certainly… news." Bianca frowned at the thought of Maggie's mother and the crime that had put her in prison.

"I know. I'm not happy about possibly having to get her out of prison if she comes back a match, but Bianca…" Maggie's voice broke as she continued, "At this point, I'd do just about anything to save my baby."

"Oh Maggie…" Bianca pulled her friend into a tight embrace. "I know honey, I know." She kissed the older woman on the top of her head and closed her eyes. "I guess that's why Uncle Jack went straight to the den and started working." At the nod of Maggie's head, Bianca continued, "Whatever needs to happen Maggie, we'll make it happen."

Maggie pulled away slightly and looked into Bianca's emotion-filled eyes. "I know and I am so grateful for you and your family, but what if she's not a match?" A tear slipped from her eye. "What if this treatment doesn't help? What if-"

Bianca interrupted her friend by placing her finger on Maggie's lips. "I know you're worried, but didn't I just say that you should be thinking about right now?"

Maggie stared at Bianca and slowly nodded her head, once again mesmerized by the woman before her. "Right now, huh?" She whispered. Maggie nervously brought her hand to Bianca's cheek as the younger woman slowly nodded her head. Maggie felt the intensity of their gaze and her soul ached. Her heart pounding, she slowly leaned forward, her lips gently meeting Bianca's. Both women sighed into the gentle kiss, reveling in a feeling that had eluded them for years.

Leo's quiet voice interrupted the pair, "Mama?"

Bianca slowly pulled away from the kiss and touched her lips, her body humming with feelings of love and excitement. She watched Maggie's eyes open and an apologetic look came over the older woman's face. Bianca looked toward Leo and then squeezed her friend's hand before letting go. "Maybe I should get going-"

Maggie quickly shook her head and grabbed Bianca's hand as the younger woman stood. "Please stay." Bianca nodded and then sat back down on the cot. "He's probably ready for his bedtime story. I won't be long." Maggie squeezed the ivory hand in hers as she backed away from the cot, finally releasing Bianca's hand as she turned toward her son's bed. "Hey baby, what's up?"

Leo wiped his watery eyes and mumbled sleepily, "I'm ready for bed."

Maggie closed the lid of the portable DVD player and placed it on the tray with some of Leo's other things. "Okay, baby. What story do you want to hear?" She lovingly brushed her hand over the top of her son's head and down the side of his face. Seeing the tears in Leo's eyes, Maggie took a deep breath as she looked toward the sky. _God please… Let me take his pain away. He's been fighting so hard, every day. Please just let me take his place._

"The one about us."

Maggie bit her lower lip and looked hesitantly at Bianca. Her friend arched a brow, a curious look coming over Bianca's features. Maggie turned back toward Leo's innocent smile and melted. "Are you sure, baby?" Leo nodded as he held out his arms for his mother. "Just a minute, let me pull the rocking chair closer." Maggie got the chair situated and then adjusted all of Leo's cords so she could pick him up. "Okay, little man, come here." Leo wrapped his little arms around his mother's neck as she held him close and carried him to the rocking chair.

Bianca watched mother and son closely. She wondered why Maggie was apprehensive about her hearing the story Leo wanted his mother to tell. Bianca watched as Maggie held Leo close to her chest as she sat down and started to rock. Mesmerized by the moment, the younger woman listened closely as her friend began to speak.

"Are you comfy?" Maggie asked her son as she rubbed her hand up and down his back. When Leo nodded and snuggled closer to his mother's chest, she kissed him on the top of his head and took a deep breath. It wasn't really the story that made her nervous, she recited it often, but more the timing of the request. _I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get through this… _Things may have started looking up, but Leo's prognosis was still uncertain, leaning heavily towards an ending Maggie was having trouble ignoring.

Maggie closed her eyes to rid those thoughts from her mind and then cleared her throat. "Well, sweetheart, long, long ago God made a decision – a very important decision… One that I'm really glad he made. He made the decision to make you." She placed another kiss to the top of Leo's forehead as she remembered the night in Port Charles when she gave birth to the beautiful little boy in her arms. "Leo, the same hands that made the stars made you. The same hands that made canyons made you. The same hands that made trees and the moon and the sun made you." Maggie smiled. "That's why you are so special. God made you."

Maggie gently pulled Leo away from her chest and looked at her son. "He made you in a very special way." She pointed at Leo's eyes. "He made your eyes so they would twinkle." She smiled and gently poked the side of Leo's mouth. "He made your mouth so you could smile." When Leo smiled in return, Maggie gently tickled the little boy's sides until he giggled happily. "He made your laugh so you could giggle." She brushed the back of her hand over Leo's forehead and smiled as he calmed down. "Leo, God made you like no one else. If you looked all over the world – in every house – there would be no one else like you… no one with your eyes, no one with your mouth, no one with your laugh. You are very, very special."

Maggie pulled her son back into her arms and sighed as he once again snuggled closer. "And since you are so special, God wanted to put you in just the right home… where you would be warm when it's cold, where you'd be safe when you're afraid, where you'd have fun and-" Maggie's voice cracked slightly, "and learn about Heaven." She cleared her throat and continued, "After lots of looking, God sent you to me… And I'm so glad he did. I'll never forget the first time that I saw you… your eyes were closed, your fingers were curled in two little fists, your cheeks were puffy and round… I knew in my heart that God had sent someone wonderful for me to take care of."

Maggie kissed the top of Leo's head once again as a tear slipped from her eye. "Your first night with me, I heard every sound you made… I heard you gurgle, I heard you sniff, I heard your little lips smack… I heard you cry when you wanted to eat and I fed you. But you're bigger now, Leo, and you do more things. You can walk and run. You can play and talk. You can eat and sing and look at books. You're not a little baby anymore." Maggie took another deep breath, trying to clear the lump that had formed in her throat as the many memories flashed through her mind. "But as you grow and change, some things will stay the same. I'll always love you. I'll always hug you. I'll always be on your side. And I want you to know that… just in case you ever wonder."

Maggie felt Leo place his hand over her heart and she had to close her eyes as she was overwhelmed with a multitude of emotions, a few more tears escaping her eyes. "Remember I'm here for you. On dark nights when you hear noises in your closet, call on me. When you see monsters in the shadows, call me. On hard days when kids are mean and don't treat you like they should, come to me. If your grades are bad and your teacher is mad, come to me… because I love you and I always will… just in case you ever wonder." Maggie started rubbing Leo's back again as she continued, "But most of all, I'll teach you about God. He loves you. He protects you. He and His angels always watch over you."

Maggie was unable to keep the emotion from her voice any longer. Tears filling her eyes and her voice cracking, Maggie forged ahead trying to finish, "And God wants me to make sure you know about Heaven. It's a wonderful place. There are no tears there. No monsters. No mean people. You never have to say 'goodbye' or 'good night' or 'I'm hungry'. You never get cold, or sick, or afraid." Maggie pulled her son closer, hugging him fiercely trying to show him how much she loved him. "In Heaven, you are so close to God that He will hug you, just like I hug you. It's going to be wonderful." Maggie wiped at the tears flowing from her eyes with her free hand. "I will be there too." Her voice broke, "I promise. We will be there together, forever. Remember that, Leo… just in case you ever wonder."

Maggie looked up at the ceiling and blinked away the rest of her tears as she took a few calming breaths. Leo's breathing had evened out and she moved to stand from the rocker but was stopped by a light tug on her shirt. "What is it baby?"

Leo pulled his thumb from his mouth and looked up at his mother. "Don't be sad, Mama." He placed his little hands on the sides of Maggie's face and looked in his mother's eyes with such love and an understanding most adults would envy. "Heaven sounds nice and I'll miss you so much, but I'm not afraid." Maggie's heart broke at Leo's admission. She struggled to hold in her emotions as Leo leaned forward, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and then whispered in her ear, "I love you, Mama, always and forever."

As Leo wrapped his arms around his mother's neck in a tight embrace, Bianca wiped away the wet trail her silent tears had left on her cheeks. She closed her eyes and tilted her head toward the sky. _Please, God, don't take this beautiful child from his mother._ Bianca opened her eyes as she heard Maggie stand up from the rocking chair and her heart ached as she watched Maggie lovingly tuck Leo into bed.

Maggie turned from the hospital bed and rubbed her forehead. _Who am I kidding? I couldn't get rid of this stress even if Anna gave me five minutes with Reese. _She shook her head and walked toward Bianca's waiting arms.

After a few minutes, Bianca pulled out of the hug first and searched Maggie's eyes. She remembered the days when her friend was the strong one, able to take on the world, but Bianca saw only defeat in Maggie's eyes. She brushed a strand of hair from Maggie's face before sitting on the cot. "That was a beautiful story."

"As much as those words come from my heart, I can't take credit. It's a poem that was written by Max Lucado that I started reading to Leo after he was born." Maggie situated herself on the cot so she was facing her friend, her pleading eyes penetrating Bianca's core. "I can't do this." Her voice broke, "I don't know how to be strong anymore. I don't know how to be there for him without breaking down."

Bianca gently took Maggie's shaky hands and placed them between her own. "You are one of the strongest people I know, but we all need someone to lean on. Maggie, you were my rock so many times. Let me be yours now. Don't forget that I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you and when you think that you can't carry on, let me carry you instead." Bianca's eyes implored the older woman to listen to her, to accept what she was offering. "You look so defeated and I know the uncertainty is scary and frustrating, but Maggie, this isn't over. When you don't feel strong enough, lean on me and I will hold you until you do." Bianca pulled their hands to her chest. "And honey, every time you feel like falling apart, you can hide right here in my arms. You can count on me to hold you until that feeling is gone. Maggie, I love you and I promise you that I will take care of you just like you have taken care of me."

Tears filled Maggie's eyes as Bianca finished her quiet, yet impassioned, confession. "He's living in Hell and I can't do anything about it. No matter how many times I ask God to let me take his place…" Maggie shook her head in frustration, tears spilling from her eyes. "Bianca, I barely made it through this the last time!" She looked at Leo's tiny form lying in bed, Bianca rubbing her back soothingly, and spoke with a desperate plea, "He's my beautiful little boy, Bianca and it hurts so much seeing him in pain. I can't lose him. He's my-"

Bianca interrupted Maggie as the older woman clutched her chest, "I know." She coaxed her friend back into her arms and held the sobbing woman tightly. "It's going to be alright, Maggie. We don't have all the information yet, please don't give up. The morning is going to bring light to this room in so many ways. I can feel it." Bianca continued to whisper soothing words in her dear friend's ear as she prayed for help.

When Maggie pulled away from Bianca, she looked at the clock realizing an hour had passed and she looked up at her friend sheepishly. "I'm sorry about that."

Bianca shook her head. "Don't be. I told you that I'd be here for you."

Brushing the hair from her eyes, Maggie smiled slightly. "Thank you."

"So, Uncle Jack told me about the transfer tomorrow…" Bianca trailed off, trying to gauge Maggie's reaction.

Maggie fidgeted with her hands. "I'm worried."

"I won't let her come back here. She is done screwing with all our lives. I promise you, Maggie, she's going to rot in prison. Anna will make sure of it."

Maggie tilted her head and stared at Bianca's determined expression. She finally nodded her head in agreement and took Bianca's hand in her own. "You're right." Maggie brought Bianca's hand to her lips, lightly kissing the ivory skin. "Thank you." When Bianca smiled and closed her eyes at the gesture, Maggie heart tightened in her chest and she realized the need for a distraction from the breathtaking woman. Clearing her throat, "So, how's Jamie?"

Bianca groaned internally at Maggie's tactic and opened her eyes. "He's good – still in a coma but off all the machines now."

Maggie tilted her head back and looked toward the sky. "Thank you." She looked back to Bianca and smiled. "That's great news."

"Yeah, it is. I just wish it was enough to keep his family here. Thanksgiving is just a couple days away and I know the kids would love to have the extra time to hang out."

Her eyes dropping to her hands, Maggie frowned. "Yeah, it would be nice to have a Thanksgiving where there wasn't any drama for once." She ran her hands haphazardly through her hair in frustration. "It's gonna be a pretty crappy one this year… Jamie won't be here, Leo's not well, and it's the anniversary of Frankie's death..."

Bianca wrapped her arm around Maggie and squeezed her shoulder. "You don't want to celebrate this year?"

Maggie shook her head. "Leo loves holidays. He loves to spend time with his family… So no, I don't want to celebrate, but I wouldn't take that away from my baby."

"What if we moved it to tomorrow?" Bianca raised her brow as her friend turned to look at her. "We've got all the stuff and Leo's next treatment isn't until Friday, which is also probably the soonest we could get your mother here if she's a match." Bianca brushed a strand of hair behind Maggie's ear and gently caressed her cheek. "That way, you both can have a good holiday with family before Leo has to come back here AND it will make me available to spend Thursday with you."

Maggie looked lovingly in Bianca's eyes. "You'd do that?"

"Of course I would." Bianca let her hand fall to Maggie's chin and gently pulled her close. Their lips almost touching, Bianca whispered, "There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you."

Maggie sighed as she pulled away from the slow, tender kiss. "I don't know how you do it, B."

Bianca's eyes still closed, she whispered breathlessly, "Do what?"

"I feel so alive beside you and I almost feel whole again. I'm starting to believe that everything is going to be okay." Maggie paused until Bianca was gazing back into her eyes, and then whispered, "And when I look in your eyes, and I see that love there, that strength, that hope… you've already got me coming undone."

Bianca's lips parted briefly and then she hesitated. _Is this too fast? Should we really be discussing our relationship right now?_ She shook her head slightly. _No, I need to be her friend. She needs to focus on Leo right now._ Bianca looked lovingly and apologetically in Maggie's eyes. "I think I should probably go so you can get some rest."

As her friend stood from the cot, Maggie stared at her confused. "Wait, what?"

"You don't need me pushing-"

"Bianca…"

"No, you need a friend right now, not-"

"No Bianca, I need you. YOU." Maggie stood from the cot and quickly walked over to Bianca as the younger woman picked up her coat. "Please don't leave."

Bianca slowly turned to face Maggie's pleading eyes. "You really need your rest."

"Then stay. Hold me." Maggie grasped Bianca's hands and smiled. "You know I've always slept best in your arms."

Bianca smiled and placed her coat back on the chair. "Well, you got me there."


	16. Chapter 16a

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 16a:**

Maggie quickly opened her eyes, finally ridding her subconscious of her horrible dream. She felt the warm body behind her, the strong arm holding her, and sighed happily. _Bianca. _Maggie took a few deep breaths and then gently moved her friend's arm so she could get up from the cot. She thought back to the night before, how they had pushed two of the cots together and how quickly she had fallen asleep in Bianca's arms. The tiny woman sat on the edge of the cot and leaned her elbows on her knees, letting her head fall to her hands. _Come on, it was just a nightmare. Deep breaths._ Maggie gently rubbed her face and then ran a hand through her hair haphazardly. She lifted her head slightly and stared at her son, amazed at his strength, saddened by his pain, and loving him so deeply that it hurt.

Bianca stirred at the movement and rose up a bit, leaning on her elbow. She noticed the tension in Maggie's form and moved her free hand to gently caress the older woman's back. Her voice still gravelly from sleep, she whispered, "Are you okay?"

Maggie shook her head and exhaled loudly. "My head is spinning. So much has happened… and so fast." She leaned back into her friend and ran a hand through her hair, her words coming in a rush, "Miranda's kidnapping, seeing you for the first time in forever, our fight, our families showing up, yours actually being nice to me, Reese and her f**ked up plan, Jamie getting stabbed, having to take Leo to the ER, getting to talk to Miranda, finding out Leo was sicker than we thought, then you finally got Miranda back, and then I got to see her..."

Bianca took in Maggie's rushed words, her exasperation, and allowed the older woman to continue her rambling. Maggie closed her eyes tightly and fidgeted with her hands. "Then we're here and more family shows up and they're all so great, you let me adopt our little girl and Leo got to meet everyone and fall in love with them, God, and then we get the bad news that Jamie can't donate and Leo's chances decreased…" Maggie took a deep breath and continued, "I fired his doctor and authorized a highly experimental treatment… Oh God Bianca, what was I thinking?" Maggie threw her hands in the air in frustration. "Then Erica and David found my mother, who's actually been in prison all this time, God that woman! And she's getting tested or she already got tested or, Hell… I don't even know what day it is anymore!" Maggie turned her head toward Bianca, "And when are they supposed to call anyway?"

Bianca looked up and noticed Maggie's frown. She smiled as she gently took the older woman's hand and squeezed. "Take a deep breath, honey…" Bianca waited as Maggie inhaled deeply and then exhaled slowly. "Good. Now I agree that it's been a whirlwind, a lot has happened in such a short period of time, and it is certainly crazy and scary but we're getting through it and we'll continue to do so together."

"And that's another thing… We just became friends again and we've already kissed and I don't know how I can be so happy about something when Leo is laying in that bed dying. I don't know how to feel-"

Bianca placed a finger to Maggie's lips, "Shh… First of all, there is no rule that says you can't be happy and sad at the same time. Second of all, you don't need to be worrying about us. I'm not going anywhere, so we can go whatever pace you want. That should be the least of your worries right now, okay?"

"But I-"

The door opened to the hospital room and both women turned their heads toward the interruption. Dr. Truett and a nurse walked into the room, the nurse going to Leo's sleeping form and checking the machines, the doctor joining the two women at the cots. "Dr. Stone, we need to take Leo for those tests we talked about."

"To see if the chemo is working, right?" Bianca asked, her hand still grasping Maggie's in comfort.

"Yes, and to also get a better picture of how long-" Dr. Truett cleared her throat as she looked toward her colleague, "We need to get a better idea of his chances so we can plan the rest of his treatment accordingly." At Maggie's slow nod, the doctor continued, "The sooner we get the results back, the sooner you guys can take Leo home for a couple of days. Maggie, are you going to join us?"

Maggie turned back toward Bianca with a questioning look and Bianca smiled, realizing they were quickly falling into old habits. Bianca urged her friend along, "Go on Mags, I need to call Kendall about moving dinner to today anyway."

Shocked, Maggie's mouth slacked open, "Wait, Kendall is cooking?"

Bianca laughed. "Don't worry. She and Greenlee are actually a great team in the kitchen."

"Oh Lord…"

* * *

Kendall felt Greenlee's arms wrap around her waist and she sighed as she leaned her head back. "They look so peaceful, don't they?"

Greenlee tilted her head to get a better view of the guest room and laughed slightly, "Are you kidding?" She took in the tiny forms, their arms and legs tangled together, some of the kids upside down, and shook her head. "They look like they got into the liquor cabinet and partied all night."

Kendall released a soft chuckle and turned in her partner's arms. "What do you say we get started on breakfast?" She asked as she placed a soft kiss on Greenlee's lips.

Greenlee smirked. "I have other ideas, but I guess breakfast will have to do."

* * *

"Oh, hold on a second." Maggie pulled her ringing phone from her pocket and smiled as the name of the caller appeared on the screen and she answered, "Sonny…"

"Maggie, I wish I could be there."

"I know you do." Maggie smiled as her son turned toward her, his hands reaching for the phone in excitement. "It looks like I'm being forced off my own phone."

Sonny chuckled. "Well, before you give Leo the phone, I just want to tell you that…" He sighed in frustration, an edge of sadness filtering into his voice, "I'm here. I'm always here for you and your family. You let me know if there is anything, and I mean anything, that I can do for you."

"Thanks Sonny." Maggie said softly, overcome by her friend's words.

"Hey, you've become family and we take care of family. The whole town is thinking of you guys." Sonny cleared the emotion from his throat, "Now, hand that phone to that little Stone of yours."

* * *

Kendall opened the refrigerator door and stared at the thawing turkey. She turned toward Greenlee as the shorter woman swat her backside playfully and quirked her brow in question, "Seriously, that's a big turkey."

Greenlee chuckled as she pulled the biscuits from the oven. "It'll get eaten."

"Yeah, but do you even know how long it will take to cook a turkey that big?" Kendall asked as she pulled out the orange juice and milk and shut the door.

"It's the only turkey I could get on short notice." Zach shrugged as he grabbed a piece of bacon and received a swat from Kendall. He smiled and gave his ex-wife a peck on the cheek, his response playful, "I'm sure it will keep you busy all day."

Kendall rolled her eyes and helped Greenlee put breakfast on the table. "Uh huh, why don't you go wake up the kids?"

Zach quickly raised his hands in mock surrender. "As you wish." He winked playfully and exited the kitchen just as the phone rang.

"Zach, can you-" Greenlee noticed the empty kitchen and sighed, "No, that's okay, I've got it." She rushed to the phone and answered, "Hello? Oh, hey Bianca."

* * *

"And when you come back to Port Charles for a visit, I promise you that I'll take you to your favorite ice cream place. We might even be able to convince your mother to let you come to the range with us."

"I don't think she'd let me come shooting with you, Uncle Sonny." Leo noticed his mother's head whip around in his direction and started talking quickly, "But I can't wait for ice cream!" He shook his head at his mother and swatted her hand away before she could take the phone.

Sonny looked up from the photo on his desk as his door opened. He recognized the look on his friend's face and cleared his throat into the phone, "Hey Leo, I'm sorry to cut this call short but your Aunt Alexis just walked in and I need to go."

"That's okay. I need to go to."

"We love you buddy and I promise you'll be here in no time." Sonny hung up the phone and sighed as he looked to his friend, "What now?"

"It's Mac."

* * *

Erica watched her husband from the door of the den. She always admired his dedication to their family and his incredible work ethic. She walked over to him at the desk and rubbed his shoulders. "Still at it?"

Jack leaned his head back and looked into his beautiful wife's eyes. "I think I've got it figured out."

Erica kissed him lightly on the forehead and turned Jack in his chair intent on giving him a proper morning kiss but was interrupted by her ringing cell phone. "Oh! That's David!" She quickly retrieved her phone and answered, "Is she a match?"

David rolled his eyes on the other end of the line. "Hello to you too."

"David…" Erica was not about to have him stall a moment longer. "Is she or isn't she?"

A smile formed on his face as David looked at the picture of Maggie and Leo in his wallet. "She's a match, Erica."

"Oh, that's wonderful news, David!" Erica exclaimed as she nodded in affirmation to Jack's questioning eyes. She placed the call on speaker.

"How quick can Jack help me out?"

"I'm faxing the proposal to the warden now. If he agrees, then we have a better chance of getting a judge to agree. Could you go to the prison and help persuade him? I'm sending you a copy as well."

Erica interrupted, "We'll start getting the jet ready and make some calls. Hopefully we can be in the air by late this evening."

"Sounds good. I'll head to the prison. Oh, and I'll call my cousin."

They said their goodbyes and Erica ended the call, the smile having not left her face since she heard the news. "Go take a shower. I'll call about the jet and then I'll call Bianca. You can make the rest of your calls when you get out."

Jack stood and gave his wife a peck on the cheek. "Yes, ma'am."

* * *

Robin stepped out of the bathroom and toweled her hair as she watched an already dressed Patrick pace back and forth in front of the bed. "Patrick…" He looked up at her, but they were interrupted by the ringing of Robin's cell phone. After looking at the screen, she picked it up and answered, "Hey Sonny."

Sonny sighed heavily as he smoothed out his eyebrows. "Robin… Mac is in the hospital."

Robin dropped the towel as she moved her hand to cover her mouth. "What?" Patrick immediately rushed to her side and moved her to sit on the bed.

"He was on a stakeout with Alexis, she's helping him with a case, and the guys shot at them. Mac took a few bullets to the gut." Sonny rubbed his forehead and shook his head at the rest of the news he needed to relay. "Robin, is Patrick there?" Robin nodded her head and put her cell on speaker. "Robin?"

Patrick looked worriedly at his wife and spoke, "I think she's in shock. What's going on Sonny?"

"Mac was shot and is in critical condition. Apparently the internal bleeding is extensive. Alexis is on her way back to the hospital and… I hate to take you away from two people that need you there, but Alexis asked me to get you to come back. He needs his family."

* * *

Maggie watched as Leo was loaded into the MRI, his least favorite of all the tests because of the enclosed space. She pressed the intercom, "It's okay baby, it won't take long." She felt her cell phone vibrate in her pocket and pulled it out to see the caller. "I have to take this, Marian." The doctor nodded as Maggie left the room. "David, it's so good to hear your voice."

"I'm sorry I haven't been available, but I'm hoping my news makes up for it…"

Maggie stopped walking, her eyes widened and her breath hitched, "David…"

"She's a match, Maggie."

"Oh, thank you… thank you…" She whispered as she listened to David relay their plans for getting her mother to Paris. "I need to tell the doctor."

* * *

Zach nervously checked his watch as he looked on at the chatting children eating breakfast at the table. _We're going to be late._ He finished his coffee and then turned and walked back upstairs to the guest room where Patrick and Robin had slept and knocked on the door. Zach took in the distraught look on his friend's face as the door opened and then saw the tears streaming from Robin's eyes. He immediately furrowed his brow in worry. "Is everything alright?"

"The man who raised my wife most her life has been shot."

"Oh man…"

"Yeah, we need to get back to Port Charles." Patrick shook his head and sighed. "I'd ask if anything else could go wrong, but we all know what happens when we do that…"

"I'm sure Mac will pull through. He's a fighter." Zach patted his friend on the back. "Don't worry about our plans. I'll get Ryan to help out."

"Thanks."

* * *

"This is Anna." The agent answered her cell phone absentmindedly, her thoughts on Reese's upcoming transfer to a more secure facility.

"Mom…" Robin's tears filtered through her voice as she cried.

Anna immediately gave her daughter her full attention. "Honey, what happened?"

"We need- to go- back home." Robin spoke brokenly, crying slightly harder now that she was talking to her mother. "Mac… Uncle Mac's been- shot…"

* * *

Erica walked into the kitchen and nodded in greeting to her eldest daughter. Kendall held up her index finger and spoke into the phone, "Hang on a second, Binx." She watched her mother quickly turn toward her, coffee cup in hand. "We're having Thanksgiving dinner tonight instead of tomorrow."

"I need to speak with Bianca immediately." Erica commanded as she held out her hand expectantly.

Kendall rolled her eyes. "Mother… Tomorrow is the anniversary of Frankie's death, so Bianca thought it would be best to spend the day with Maggie. We're having dinner tonight and we might be lucky enough to have a guest of honor join us."

"Kendall…" Erica gave her daughter 'the look'.

"Sorry Binx, I tried." Kendall spoke quickly into the phone before she handed it to her mother.

"Bianca, honey, David called." Erica paused as she watched Kendall stop halfway to the dining room and Greenlee stop collecting dishes, both turning their attention in her direction. At the silence she received, Erica continued, "Maggie's mother is a match. Jack and I are working on the specifics, but we should be leaving tonight to go get her."

"Oh my God, I need to tell Maggie."

"I'm sure David's already called by now. And Bianca, you're doing a really special thing for Maggie. I'm glad we'll be here for dinner. We certainly have one more thing to be thankful for this year." Erica said as she smiled brightly at the hugging women before continuing her conversation with her youngest daughter.

Running toward the front door, already late, Zach and Ryan grabbed their coats and then stopped when they noticed their ex-wives in an embrace. "Get a room." Ryan joked.

Greenlee pulled away from Kendall and smiled brightly. "Maggie's mom is a bone marrow match!"

Zach and Ryan laughed when Kendall and Greenlee rushed them for a group hug. "That's fantastic news!" Ryan exclaimed as they broke apart.

"Yes it is and I'm sorry to break up this celebration, but Ryan and I have to meet up with Aiden." At Kendall's skeptical look, Zach offered the only explanation he could think, "You know, guy stuff."

"Whatever. Just don't be late for dinner. We're having Thanksgiving tonight at seven." Kendall ordered as the two men walked out the door. "Oh! And Leo might be able to come!" Kendall yelled as the door slammed shut. She rolled her eyes when the door reopened and Zach poked his head inside.

"We'll be here hon."

* * *

Shaking his head and grateful his cell phone had interrupted an argument with Brooke, Tad walked outside and answered the call, "Hey Anna, what's up?"

"Hi Tad, are you still taking Jamie back to Pine Valley today?" Anna spoke quickly as she collected her belongings, shoving them in her suitcase along the way.

"Yeah, we're leaving in about an hour."

"Do you think Robin, Patrick, Emma, and I can join you?"

"Of course, but why are you leaving?"

"Mac's been shot and we need to get back. Is there any way you can convince Brooke to wait another hour? We're all over the place right now and I still need to arrange to have Aiden pick up all the evidence…"

Tad closed his eyes tightly and rubbed his forehead, trying to get rid of the headache that suddenly formed at learning he'd have to talk to Brooke again. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

"Thanks. See you soon."

"Yeah." Tad mumbled as he ended the call. _Get a grip man. Surely 'Crazy' over here will understand the circumstances… Oh who am I kidding?_ An idea coming to him, Tad quickly dialed JR's number. "Have you picked up AJ yet?" He heard a sleepy JR mumble incoherently and realized that he had just awakened. "Good. I need you to stall. We've got extra passengers coming along for the ride back home and they need more time." He laughed at JR's grunt on the other end of the line. "Your stepmother may not wait for them, but she will wait for her husband's son. She doesn't have a choice." Tad smiled devilishly as JR cleared his throat and agreed to the plan.

* * *

"Maggie!" Bianca rushed into Leo's hospital room. "Mom told me-"

Maggie interrupted her friend with a giant hug. "Marian is finishing up Leo's tests, but she was very optimistic, especially with this new development." Maggie smiled brightly as she pulled away. She placed her hands on each of Bianca's cheeks and pulled the younger woman close for a kiss.

Surprised at Maggie's exuberance, but not willing to stop her, Bianca allowed the shorter woman to deepen the kiss. After a few minutes, the two women pulled apart for air. Her head leaning against Maggie's, Bianca whispered, "What was that?"

Maggie pulled away to look at Bianca. Her thumbs gently brushed the younger woman's cheeks as she stared at Bianca with amazement in her eyes. All of her feelings for her old friend, no longer simmering beneath the surface being blocked by her need to be fully focused on Leo, came rushing back and overwhelmed her with their intensity. Maggie looked in Bianca's eyes and whispered, "I love you. I-" The door opened loudly and Maggie sighed as she leaned her forehead back against Bianca's in exasperation at their constant interruptions.

"Dr. Stone?" The nurse wheeled Leo back to his bed. "Dr. Truett said she'd be up in a couple hours."

Maggie turned her head and nodded in the direction of the nurse, "Thank you."

* * *

"You ready for this, Ryan?" Aiden asked as he finished applying the last of the silicone skin to his friend's face.

"He knows what's at stake. He's ready." Zach answered while looking in the mirror. "It's crazy how good this is…" He touched his newly disguised face and shook his head, quickly shrugging into the cheap suit coat Aiden had bought to complete the masterpiece.

Jason sat at the table going over the plan once again in his head. _There's no room for error_. He wouldn't forgive himself is something went wrong. _Not when it concerns my friends and family._ He shook the negative thoughts from his head and called over his shoulder, "Aiden, you just about done?"

"Yeah, mate. Ryan just needs to finish putting on his suit and then we're good to go."

Jason stood and adjusted his ball cap before putting on his leather jacket. He turned to Aiden, "I'll see you in twenty minutes." He then nodded in Ryan and Zach's direction, "And I'll see you two in forty-five." He opened the hotel room door and stepped outside, throwing behind him, "We've got one shot at this. Make it count."

Zach finished helping Ryan get the poisoning contraption hooked up underneath his suit coat while Aiden finished cleaning up any mess they had left. Aiden looked at his creations and then smiled as he put on his ball cap and sunglasses. "We're ready."

* * *

Balancing two cups of coffee and a juice box, Bianca pushed open the door to Leo's hospital room. "Alright, who ordered the apple juice?"

Maggie jumped up from the cot and stretched out her hand, "I did!"

"Mama…" Leo whined as he smiled brightly at the two adults.

Bianca set one of the cups of coffee down on Leo's tray. "Well, I guess you're the one that got the regular coffee then." She smiled at the young boy's laughter. "I don't know how you drink that without cream and sugar!" She exclaimed playfully as she shook her head.

"No, Miss Bianca, the apple juice is for me!" Leo responded as he continued to giggle.

"Oh, Leo, I am so sorry." Bianca playfully put her hand to her forehead. "I don't know what I was thinking!" She snatched the juice box from Maggie's hand, the look on the older woman's face as she stomped off to the other side of the room almost causing Bianca to break into a fit of laughter. "Here you go, sweetie." Bianca handed Leo his juice box and kissed his forehead, picking up the cups of coffee and following Maggie to the cot against the wall.

* * *

Ryan clicked the remote and felt the next film cling to his hand. He nodded at the driver he had just shaken hands with and then shook the hand of the second driver. "The city appreciates your assistance." He said with authority.

Once the drivers left the locker room, Ryan sighed with relief and quickly exited out the back unseen. He walked slowly toward the corner Zach had parked the car. _I can't believe I just did that… What am I doing? I'm not a special agent or a mobster…_ His thoughts were interrupted by a child passing by on a bicycle ringing its bell. _Oh yeah…_ Ryan shook the doubts from his mind as he remembered just who he was doing this for and stood up straight. Realizing he was a few feet from Zach, he jogged the rest of the way and opened the passenger side door. "So far so good."

* * *

Maggie sipped her coffee and watched her son as he colored enthusiastically. Leo had already expressed how much better he was feeling and Maggie hoped that his test results would confirm that as fact. She turned her head back to look at Bianca and smiled bashfully, "I'm sorry. What was I saying?"

Bianca smiled and looked toward Leo, "Nothing to be sorry about." She turned back toward Maggie and placed her hand on the older woman's knee. "You were telling me the rest of what the doctor said when you gave her the news about your mother."

"Oh yeah, well, there's not much else to say… Marian will have a better idea of timetables once she finishes analyzing Leo's results from the tests today."

"What about the transplant? There's prep involved with that, right? Does that mean Leo can't leave today?"

Maggie nodded her head, "Yes, there is prep involved, but Marian doesn't want to start until my mother is actually in the hospital." She looked toward her son, amazed at the miracle that was happening. "The prep work is very time sensitive and conditional on when the transplant will occur. It's really a precautionary measure."

"That makes sense. So he should be able to join us for dinner tonight?" At Maggie's nod, Bianca continued, "Mom didn't say when they could get your mother here, do you know?"

"David said that Jack is hopeful she can be here by Friday or Saturday." Maggie sighed as Bianca played with their fingers. She heard Leo giggle to himself and smiled, "It's so good to see him feeling better."

* * *

to be continued in Part 16b


	17. Chapter 16b

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 16b:**

"I feel like I'm in 'Mission Impossible' right now."

Zach turned on to a deserted country road and chuckled. "You're doing the right thing, Ryan."

"Oh, I know that. It's just pretty strange to be involved like this." Ryan removed the poisoning contraption from his arm and put it in the bag at his feet.

Zach nodded as he pulled the car over into the brush alongside Aiden, who stood next to a bicycle. He and Ryan exited their vehicle, Zach raising a brow at Aiden and his mode of transportation. "Really?"

"It was cheap and it will fit in the trunk of your car when we're finished." Aiden smirked. "Besides, I didn't get my workout this morning."

Noticing the van approaching, Zach shoved a laughing Ryan further into the brush. The three men watched as the van was driven erratically, the two agents in the van showing visible signs of distress.

"Hey, those two agents are going to be okay, right?" Ryan asked as he started to worry innocent lives would be lost in their zest for revenge.

"Yeah, of co-" Aiden was interrupted when an explosion was heard, all three men turned their heads in the direction of the van which had crashed into a tree. "What the-"

Zach saw Jason running toward the van giving the signal to join him further up the road. "Grab your bag, Aiden."

* * *

"Emma, come on!"

"Robin!" Patrick grabbed his wife by the arm and looked at her sternly. "I know you're upset right now, but there is no reason to take it out on our daughter. Why don't you go ahead and tell the girls what's going on? I'll help Emma finish getting ready." He urged Robin out the door. "Go."

Robin sulked off down the stairs and entered the kitchen. Greenlee was laughing at Kendall as her partner took out her aggression by hand-mashing the potatoes. "Hey."

Greenlee was the first to turn around to the new voice and immediately noticed her friend's sullen demeanor, quickly dropping the potato in her hand onto the counter and rushing to Robin's side. "What's wrong?"

Robin shook her head slightly and sighed, "Mac's been shot and we need to go home."

"Oh no! Robin, I'm so sorry." Kendall exclaimed as she turned toward the two women.

Greenlee pulled Robin into a hug. "Hey, Mac's been through so much. He'll pull through, you know that."

"I don't know what I know anymore."

Greenlee pulled away slightly and placed her hands on Robin's shoulders, giving her friend a serious look. "Don't do that. Things are going to turn out alright. Hell, they already are." At Robin's confused look, Greenlee smiled. "We just got word from David that Maggie's mother is a donor match for Leo!"

"Oh my God!" Robin's eyes widened and she pulled her friend into another hug. "That's great news!"

"What's great news?" Patrick asked as he entered the kitchen with bags in his hands.

"Maggie's mom is a match!"

Relief washed over Patrick's face as he dropped the bags and joined in the group hug. After a couple minutes, Emma peeked her head in the door and giggled at the funny adults. Patrick pulled away and smiled at his daughter. "Alright, as much as I hate to break up this celebration, we need to get going if we're going to visit Leo before we meet JR at the airport."

Robin nodded and the three Drakes said their goodbyes, promising to exchange updates as they came available.

* * *

As the nurse walked away, Anna placed her hand on her heart and closed her eyes, whispering, "Thank God." She took a deep breath and stepped closer toward Leo's room. Peeking through the window, she watched the little boy talk animatedly to a sitting Bianca, pointing to the DVD player on his tray in front of them.

"They adore each other already." Maggie softly stated as she walked up beside Anna and leaned against her.

Anna wrapped her arm around the younger woman and pulled her close. As Maggie sighed, Anna kissed the top of her head. "And it sounds like they'll have a chance to be who you want them to be."

"I hope so. Finding the donor match is such a relief, but we still have to deal with the meningeal spread." Maggie pulled away and shook her head. "We'll know something soon though."

Anna rubbed Maggie's back comfortingly. "Then we wait."

Maggie nodded silently as she stared through the window at her son and the love of her life. _I can't believe my hopes… my dreams are becoming a reality._ She thought back to the late nights sitting up rocking Leo to sleep, thinking of Bianca and Miranda and how wonderful it would be to get the rest of her family back. Realizing her surrogate mother was standing patiently next to her, Maggie shook herself from her thoughts and asked, "Not that I don't love your company, but shouldn't you be working on Reese's transfer?"

"I've got two agents working on it. And I've been trying to get in touch with Aiden to take over the case for a bit… Have you heard from him?"

Maggie frowned. "Uh, not since last night… What do you mean, 'take over'? What's going on?"

"Mac's been shot and Robin needs me to go back to Port Charles with her, Patrick, and Emma."

Maggie shook her head and pulled Anna into another hug. "If it's not one thing, it's another, right?" Anna nodded in response. "Well, what are you doing out here?" Maggie smirked. "Let's go see your grandson so you can get out of here and back home."

* * *

"What the hell happened, Jason?" Aiden asked as he surveyed the area on the van that exploded. Jason just shook his head and frowned. Aiden frowned as he pulled a component from the debris. "This isn't ours. This isn't even Sonny's." He turned around with worry in his eyes. "Who else would want Reese dead?"

"The agents are unconscious and are pretty banged up already. Do you think we should still drive them around?" Zach asked as he and Ryan removed the two men from the damaged van.

Jason's frown started to retreat as he spoke evenly, "We can work with this. With our drugs putting the drivers unconscious and the explosion causing the van to crash into this tree…" He stepped over to the agents lying on the ground and inspected their wounds. "Yes, this makes things easier." He turned toward Zach and Ryan. "Change in plans. Just keep an eye on these two." He walked back over to Aiden and gestured toward the back of the van. "You take pictures of all the components and send me and Sonny a copy. We'll find out who else is involved."

When Aiden finished taking pictures, he grabbed the pick axe from his bag and a sharp scrap of metal from the explosion. He crawled under the van and watched it rock slightly as Jason climbed into the back. _Please work._ Aiden slammed the pick axe up into the floor of the van, creating a large enough hole to ram the scrap metal into. Once the scrap metal was fit into the hole, he inspected his handiwork. _It looks just like that created the hole. Excellent!_ He made sure he was still able to see inside the back of the van and then continued to rig the gas tank as he listened to Jason interrogate Reese.

* * *

"Hey sweetie, what are you two chatting about?" Anna asked as she and Maggie entered Leo's room.

"Gramma!" Leo exclaimed as he bounced in bed.

"Hey now, buddy, be careful." Bianca said softly as she placed her hand on Leo's knee to settle him down. Maggie smiled at how good Bianca was with her son.

Anna smiled at Maggie's admiring stare of her former lover. _I don't care what either of them says. They were never over. _She walked closer to Leo and leaned down for a hug. "Listen to Bianca, sweetheart."

"Yes, Gramma, sorry." Leo said as he lowered his head embarrassed.

"Oh Leo, it's okay." Anna said as she rubbed his head comfortingly. "So, I hear you're feeling much better!"

Leo looked back up and smiled brightly. "Yes, I am! Miss Bianca and me were just talking about Kipper and Clifford. I love dogs, especially ones that can talk!"

Anna chuckled. "Yes, I know you do, sweetie. Unfortunately I haven't found a talking dog on any of my travels… yet." She winked as she said the last word and both Bianca and Maggie tried to hide their laughter at the thought. Anna and Leo continued to talk, mainly about all the things they planned to do on Leo's next visit to Port Charles.

"And can we go see everyone at the hospital?"

"We sure can. I hear they've been asking about you."

"Oh yes, Liz will not stop hounding me about when your next visit will be." All heads turned toward the new voice at the door. Robin smiled as she walked further into the room, followed by Patrick and Emma.

"Uncle Patrick! Finally!" Leo exclaimed and then giggled.

Patrick hugged Leo tightly and smiled. "Yep, kiddo, I'm sorry I haven't been here yet."

Leo just smiled and hugged the other two of his new visitors.

* * *

Reese flinched as the man who had joined her in the back of the van cracked his knuckles loudly. His deadened eyes unnerving her, she gathered the courage to ask, "Who are you?"

Jason sat across from Reese, on the other bench. He didn't say anything as he silently pulled tools from his jacket pocket and set them down next to him.

"What do you want?" Reese asked nervously as she took note of each tool; a scalpel, pliers, wire cutters, and rope. Jason picked up the scalpel and studied it, slowly twirling the sharp object in his hand. Reese became increasingly scared. "L-Look, w-we can w-work something out here."

Jason stopped his movements suddenly. "You're going to tell me everything I need to know…" He picked up the pliers and inspected them. "Or you'll die slowly and painfully by my hand." He put the tools back down and finally looked at Reese, a controlled anger in his features. "Start from the beginning."

* * *

"Thank you, Bianca."

Bianca turned sideways on the cot and arched her brow at Anna. "What for?"

"For taking care of Maggie… I hate to leave her while things are still uncertain, but knowing that you are here certainly strengthens my resolve."

Bianca nodded and looked back at the chatting group surrounding Leo's bed. "Anna, I know that Maggie and I haven't been on good terms, hell any terms, for some time now, but I want that to change. I don't want to leave her side again."

Anna smiled and leaned forward, pulling the younger woman into a hug. "I know. I can see how much you two love each other still. And I know I don't have to ask you to take care of her once I leave for the states, but I'm going to anyways." Anna whispered into Bianca's ear, "Maggie is strong, and we've gotten such great news so far, but she's still human. I fear she'll eventually break-"

Bianca pulled away and interrupted, looking Anna straight in the eye, determined, "Then I will pick up the pieces."

"That's all I needed to know." Anna said and Bianca nodded. Noticing Robin gathering her things, both women stood from the cot and walked toward Leo's bedside. "Time to head out?"

"Yeah, I just got a text from JR that indicated we should arrive at the plane's hangar before him so Brooke can place the blame on him and not us. And he and AJ just got here, so we should get going." Robin said as she picked Emma up off the bed.

"I can't wait until you visit! We're going to have so much fun!" Emma exclaimed, holding onto her mother.

"That's right. Lots of friends waiting to see you." Robin smiled and gave Leo a kiss on the cheek as she whispered in his ear, "I love you."

"We love you kiddo and we'll see you soon." Patrick said as he hugged Leo and kissed him on the forehead. "And first stop when you get back is the hospital to see all your girlfriends." He winked and then chuckled as Leo blushed and giggled happily.

Anna and Bianca watched Maggie watch Leo and it was the most beautiful sight they had seen in the last few days. A look full of love, hope, and happiness… Finally.

After saying goodbye to her grandson, Anna hugged Maggie tightly. "Call me as soon as you know something." At Maggie's nod in agreement, Anna continued, "And sweetie, call me anytime for anything. I love you."

"Thanks, Anna, I love you too." Maggie looked to her son and asked, "We both do, don't we?"

Leo nodded emphatically. "Yes! We love all of you SO much!"

"Hey, how can I get in on this lovefest?"

"Uncle JR! AJ!"

"And that's our cue. We'll talk to you soon." Patrick directed toward Maggie and then turned toward JR. "Thanks man, we'll see you in a few minutes at the hangar."

JR nodded as he watched his son climb on top of Leo's bed. "Hey, AJ, come on, be careful!" He just shook his head at his son as he walked over to Maggie and gave her a hug. "Kendall and Greenlee told me the good news!"

Maggie smiled as she hugged her friend tightly. "Things are looking up."

"I'm still pissed at Brooke, but I guess I don't feel so bad leaving you guys now." JR watched Maggie shrug. "Hey, you two will be back in Pine Valley with a recovered Jamie in no time. I know it."

"Dad! Leo wants to know if we can finish the remote control airplane on his next visit." AJ yelled across the room as he nodded his head up and down excitedly.

JR walked over to the two boys with a bright smile on his face, so happy to see his family in good spirits again. "Of course we can! We've been waiting on you to finish so we can go to the park and fly it." He rubbed Leo's head affectionately. "So what color do you want to paint it?"

* * *

"So who was your contact in the hospital? Who helped you change out Leo's meds?" Jason asked with menace in his voice, completely disgusted at Reese's boasting throughout her story. "Oh, now you don't want to talk?" Jason picked up the wire cutters and stared at them for a moment.

The back door of the van opened swiftly and Aiden entered, slamming the door shut behind him. He looked at Reese with disgust in his eyes, still unable to believe a person could deliberately hurt a child, especially to get back at his mother. Aiden walked over to Jason and grabbed the scalpel from the bench, quickly turning around and slamming Reese against the side of the van, scalpel nearly piercing the woman's neck. "You better keep talking or we'll keep that promise we made earlier."

Reese could feel the sharp tip against her skin. She was caught but there was no reason she couldn't still have fun. She smiled slyly and directed her words toward the man with the funny accent, "You can step away. Of course I'll tell you everything. I just needed a moment." Aiden stepped back and sat down on the bench, glaring at the woman. "I worked out a deal with Leo's doctor."

Aiden's eyes widened. "Dr. Mannheim is involved with this?"

"Yes. He needed another test subject for his new treatment trial and I needed Maggie to feel the pain and uncertainty of losing a child."

"But wait, he didn't even offer the trial to them. He just gave them a death sentence…"

Reese laughed and rolled her eyes. "Well he had to play bad cop so the good cop could come in and save the day."

"No, Marian wouldn't-"

"Oh she did. When faced with a boatload of cash and loyalty to a friend, come on, no contest."

Jason's calm façade finally cracked. "Bullshit. None of us would ever put money over loyalty to one another!"

Reese smirked happily. "Maybe not you, but your Dr. Truett and Dr. Mannheim sure did. Hell, we even bought a few nurses so they wouldn't notice and switch the meds back to the real ones."

Aiden spoke through clenched teeth, "Is there anyone else involved?"

"I would love to say 'yes', but sadly I do not have anymore surprises left." Jason nodded and leaned forward, taking Reese's left hand in his, wire cutters at the ready. "Wait! What are you doing?" Reese yelled as she squirmed on the bench.

"Just one more question and we'll leave you alone." Aiden's calm demeanor returned. "When you stabbed Maggie at Bianca's house, what did you use?"

Reese laughed. "That's what you want to know? It was just a knife."

"Jamie was stabbed with a knife too, but it wasn't JUST a knife!"

"Like I said, it was just a knife. What good would it do me to have Maggie dead? I want her to suffer." Reese nervously looked down at her hand. Jason still had not let go. The wire cutters came closer and closer to her fingers.

Jason looked into Reese's cold eyes and finally saw the fear surface as he placed the wire cutters on her ring finger. "Well, time's up. We'll just take this." Reese closed her eyes tightly and when she didn't feel the tool cutting through her finger, she opened them.

Aiden held up Reese's wedding ring. "Consider your divorce final."

"Are we ready?" Jason asked as he put the tools back in his pocket. Aiden nodded and Jason stood, wiping his hands on his jeans. "I'd say it was a pleasure to meet you, but it wasn't. Enjoy your last few minutes of fresh air."

"Wait! You promised-"

"I lied." Jason remarked as he exited the van behind Aiden. Before slamming the doors shut, he grabbed the pail of gasoline from Aiden and doused Reese and the inside of the van.

* * *

Brooke sat in her chair on the plane seething. _How dare they invite these, these-_ Before she could finish her thought, JR and AJ stepped through the door. "It's about time you showed up, young man!" She stood quickly ready to give her stepson a verbal thrashing, but Tad stepped between the two.

Tad was sick and tired of Brooke's rants. "Take your pill and shut up." He could almost laugh at the look of utter surprise on his ex-wife's face. He pointed back to her seat, "We're doing what you want, now GO."

Anna watched Brooke walk back to her seat and sit down with a huff. She patted Tad on the back and smiled. "I bet that felt good."

Tad nodded. "I'm at the end of my rope with her! And to think, I'm going to have to spend time with her every day until Jamie gets better…" He rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Makes me wish I was the one in a coma."

"Tad!" Anna scolded.

"I know. I shouldn't joke about it."

"This is your pilot speaking. Please take your seats, we are ready to depart."

* * *

Aiden handed Jason the flare gun. They had decided that would be the best way to ignite the gas tank seeing as it would leave no traceable evidence.

"Are the agents positioned?"

Ryan nodded. "Yes, we've moved them far enough away from the van that they don't get hurt, but close enough that it looks like they got out but failed to get to the prisoner in time and the subsequent explosion knocked them unconscious."

"Excellent." Jason checked the flare and then nodded to the other three men. They stepped further away and watched as Jason set the gas tank on fire, causing a massive explosion. Reese's screams were drowned out by the crackling fire. It was so hot and bright that the four men had to shield their faces with their arms. "That's burning quicker than I expected."

Aiden smiled slightly. "I added an accelerant to the gas you threw in the back. It's a new compound I've been working on that mimics its properties, so it just looks like regular gas."

After a few moments of watching the flames engulf the van, Ryan spoke up, "I feel like I should feel bad about this…" He turned toward his friends, "But I don't."

Zach clapped his hand on Ryan's shoulder and tilted his head, eyeing his friend with concern. "Welcome to the family."

* * *

Bianca watched on as Maggie played Uno with Leo. She always loved watching Maggie with Miranda. _Maggie was always so good with her. I've really missed this._ Bianca sighed happily as Maggie yelled, "Draw four, little man!" Their laughter was interrupted by the sound of the door opening and Dr. Truett walking into the room.

Dr. Truett smiled. "It's so good to see you feeling better, Leo."

"Give me a few minutes, sweetheart." Maggie said as she hopped off the bed. Leo just nodded and turned his DVD player back on. "Marian, what's the news?" The doctor removed a scan from the manila folder and handed it to Maggie. "Oh my God, really?"

Dr. Truett nodded. "Yes, the nodules are shrinking." She smiled as she watched Maggie review the scan again. She pointed to a specific spot, "It looks like the nodules in Leo's spinal cord are shrinking faster than those in his brain, but this is extremely promising news. With this information, plus the upcoming bone marrow transplant, the game has changed."

With tears in her eyes, Maggie smiled happily as she looked over at her son. "This is really happening." Unable to contain her joy, she laughed. "Leo's going to be okay!" Noticing the happy tears in Bianca's eyes as well, Maggie pulled her friend into a hug.

"As long as you bring Leo back for one last treatment on Friday, he's free to go. The nurse will be in with the discharge paperwork shortly." The doctor exited the room, leaving the two women still embracing.


	18. Chapter 17a

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 17a:**

The drive to Maggie's apartment was quiet, Leo watching the cars race by and Bianca paying close attention to the route Maggie took. When they arrived at the apartment, Maggie hesitated a moment, thinking of seeing Jamie's things all over the place. Bianca turned her head from appraising the building and gazed at Maggie, the older woman's hands fidgeting with her keys. Concern etched Bianca's features as she placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "Jamie is going to be okay, Mags." When Maggie looked up, her expression was one of surprise at Bianca's insight and the younger woman continued, "Why don't you get a few more days worth of your things? There's plenty of room at the house."

Maggie nodded slightly and turned off the engine. She exited the car, Bianca following her lead, and moved to pick up her son from the back seat.

Leo whined, "No mama, I want to walk."

"Leo…" Maggie didn't want her son to overdo it.

Bianca looked at Maggie, silently asking to handle it, and stepped closer and kneeled down to Leo's height. "If you must walk, be sure to save your energy." She nudged him slightly with a smile on her face. "You've got some friends waiting to play games with you at my house."

Leo nodded excitedly. "I will."

The trio made their way into the apartment building and entered the elevator. The ride was silent except for a fidgeting Leo, excited to be going to a sleepover. When the elevator arrived on the fourth floor, Bianca took hold of Leo's hand and followed behind Maggie as she made her way to their door. Once Maggie unlocked and opened the door, Bianca looked around as Leo ran off further into the apartment.

"Leo, you're supposed to be taking it easy!" Maggie yelled half-heartedly, glad that her son was full of energy and feeling better.

Picking up a frame that housed a photo of the little boy covered in paint, Bianca chuckled, "Looks like he doesn't need that walker after all." She set the frame back down and walked over to the fridge, admiring the artwork and photos taped to the doors.

Maggie smiled at how Bianca went straight for the photos, not once caring about anything else in the apartment. Her heart swelled. She cleared her throat, "I'm going to get some of our things together." Bianca, so engrossed in her perusal, just nodded her head in response.

* * *

Once the fire had died down, Jason cleared his throat and turned toward his accomplices. "Make sure we've taken care of everything and then we'll get out of here." He turned and spoke to Aiden, "You're still on loan to the CIA from MI6 right?"

"Yeah mate, why?"

"Just keep an eye on the investigation."

Aiden nodded. "Anna will probably get the lead since she's still on loan too, so don't worry. I'll be all over it." Aiden watched Jason nod in response and wondered if he should voice his concern. He had a nagging feeling that something wasn't right. "Hey mate, do you think Reese was telling the truth about the knife?"

Zach stopped loading the car and turned around, furrowing his brow. "What knife?"

Ryan looked at his friend confused, "I thought I told you that Reese stabbed Maggie the night they fought."

"What? No, you didn't. Damn it, she's okay right?"

Aiden rubbed the back of his neck in frustration, "Well, that's the thing… She treated herself and didn't tell anyone until Bianca found out about it. When I went back to the house, the knife was gone, but it worried me because of what was on the knife that stabbed Jamie. Who's to say Reese didn't do the same thing to Maggie?"

Jason nodded. "I don't know why she would have lied, though. She thought I was about to cut off her finger… that can be very persuasive."

Zach looked back and forth between a shrugging Jason and Aiden. Frustrated, he yelled, "Well what the hell did she say?"

"That it was just a knife."

"Oh great, and now you're having second thoughts? Shit, it would have been nice to know that before you f**king set her on fire!"

Ryan stepped in front of Zach and put out his hands to stop his advancement toward Aiden and Jason. "Hey man, nothing we can do about it now… We'll just need to keep an eye on Maggie, but I'm sure she's going to be fine."

Zach glared at two of his closest friends and mumbled through clenched teeth, "Fine."

Seeing Aiden and Zach's concern, Jason began to worry about Maggie too but knew he couldn't show it. He kept up his cool exterior and continued giving directions, "After I drop you off, I'm going to head to Reese's place and check out the evidence she said she had on those doctors."

"I can't believe our guys missed that." Aiden said as he shook his head.

"Well, I'll make sure they can find it this time. I'm going to trash the place before I leave and make sure the safe is in plain sight." Jason mocked, "Leave it to the spies to miss a hidden safe."

"Yeah, yeah, just make sure the evidence is there so when this accident is reported, we can search her place again and nail those doctors to the wall."

* * *

Bianca's smile immediately brightened as she moved to the cluttered mantle. There wasn't a free space left for any additional frames. She chuckled. _Just like Maggie – can't decide._ Two photos, in particular, caught her attention. The first was the one that had been taken on prom night. _That night really was magical._ Bianca sighed as she remembered. After a few moments, she turned toward the second photo and a tear slipped from her eye. It was a candid she had taken of Maggie and Miranda sitting on the floor playing with blocks. _She's such a good mother._ Bianca's reminiscing was interrupted when she heard tiny grunts coming from behind her. She turned and her heart warmed at the sight before her. "Leo, honey, what do you have there?"

Leo grunted again as he continued to pull the overstuffed suitcase into the living room. Making slow progress, the little boy huffed and then dropped the handle of the suitcase to the ground. Breathing heavily, Leo exclaimed, "We're going to play one of my favorite games!"

Curious, Bianca walked closer and kneeled in front of Leo. "What game is that?" At the little boy's urging, Bianca unzipped the suitcase and her eyes widened in surprise. "Wow… that's a lot of-"

"Leo, you can't bring all your Nerf guns to Bianca's." Maggie interrupted as soon as she entered the room and spotted the suitcase.

"But mama…" Leo whined, "This isn't even half of my collection." He crossed his arms and dropped to the floor, sitting Indian style and pouting.

Bianca quickly turned her head from Leo, afraid she would let her smile slip and encourage the display. She looked up at Maggie and saw the brief twinkle in her eyes before a sudden darkness took over and a frown formed on the older woman's face. Bianca stood, raising her brow in surprise as she pointed at the suitcase stuffed with Nerf guns. "There's more?"

Maggie nodded her head and raised her index finger asking for a moment. She cleared he throat and kneeled down to her son, rubbing his shoulder. "Baby, you know we don't pout just because we don't get our way." She watched her son bow his head and look up at her with shame in his eyes, his pout turning into a sad sort of frown. "Take a few minutes to remember why. Bianca and I will be in your room getting some of your things together." She stood and gestured for her friend to follow.

When the two women made it to Leo's room, Bianca broke the silence, "That was a little intense."

"Yeah, it usually is. He doesn't forget that often though." Maggie responded as she walked over to Leo's dresser and started filling her bag with some of his clothes.

"Forget what?" Bianca asked as she walked around the room, admiring the artwork painted on the walls.

Finished with the dresser, Maggie zipped up her bag and set it on the bed in the middle of the room. "Three years ago, when Leo got sick the first time and started his maintenance treatment, we met another little boy that had his treatments during the same time. His name was Philipe and he and Leo quickly became best friends."

Maggie rubbed her face with her hands and sat down on the bed, exhaustion finally catching up to her. Concerned, Bianca joined her and placed a comforting hand on Maggie's knee. "About six months ago, the two boys got into a fight, just like boys do. They wouldn't speak to each other for at least a week and then I got the call… Philipe had lost his battle with cancer and it was all I could do to lift Leo's spirits. Six years old and he blamed himself, my baby had regrets!" Maggie shook her head and frowned. "He loved Philipe and the last words they exchanged were ones of hate. So now, no more regrets."

Bianca sighed heavily, "I can't even imagine having to have that conversation with Miranda." She lifted her hand to Maggie's chin, finally making eye contact. "You've been through so much since…" The pain and silent pleading she saw in Maggie's eyes stopped Bianca short. Realizing she needed to change the topic, Bianca looked around the room. She looked back at the artwork on the walls and studied the painted figures more closely, only able to gather that the figures must have been comic book characters. _Jamie and Maggie always had a thing for those books. I still don't get it. _Seeing a couple of Nerf targets pinned to a couple of the figures, Bianca cleared her throat, "So what's the deal with the Nerf guns?"

A smile found its way back to Maggie's eyes and she stood, squeezing Bianca's hand in gratitude for reading her signals. Maggie walked over to Leo's closet and rolled out a shelf stacked with Nerf guns. She chuckled when she heard Bianca gasp in surprise, "I know! It's gotten a little out of hand."

Maggie searched through the toys and finally found the blue and green gun. Turning back to Bianca, she smiled slightly. "Sonny came to visit soon after Jamie came back into our lives. He said it was just to make sure James was good enough for us, but I know he was worried about Leo. My baby wasn't responding well to the treatments after the transplant and he had a really bad day while Sonny was here. That's when Sonny pulled out two Nerf guns. The smile that lit up Leo's face was priceless." Maggie handed the toy gun to Bianca. "When Nerf puts out a new lineup of guns and accessories, Sonny has it shipped here. And every time Leo has an extraordinarily bad day of treatment, he gets new Nerf paraphernalia."

Bianca smiled at the story until she realized how many Nerf toys were in Leo's collection. She noticed all of the toy guns stacked high on the shelf, the darts and balls in tubs by the window, targets set up all around the room, and other accessories strewn across the floor. She frowned. "There's a lot here…"

"Yeah, but 317 days out of 1,095 isn't too bad." Maggie responded as she rolled the shelf back into the closet.

Bianca raised an arched brow in Maggie's direction. "You know how many-"

Maggie grabbed the bag off the bed and interrupted, "You never forget."

"Right…"

"Come on, I've made the little man wait long enough." Maggie said as she walked back into the living room. She knelt down next to her son and rubbed his shoulder lovingly.

Leo immediately lunged into his mother's arms, toppling Maggie over, and hugged her tightly, mumbling, "I'm sorry, Mama. I'm sorry."

"Shh, it's okay baby. I know." Maggie helped her son stand up and whispered in his ear, "Why don't you ask Bianca if you can have a Nerf war at her house?" A bright smile graced Leo's face and Maggie patted his bottom to get him moving, "Go on."

Leo rushed Bianca and almost knocked her down in his excitement. "Sorry Miss Bianca. Could we have a Nerf war at your house? I'm sorry I didn't ask you before."

Bianca nodded her head in affirmation and smiled. "One condition…" Leo nodded his head emphatically agreeing to whatever she said. She knelt down to the little boy's height and pointed to the suitcase, "You let me carry that, deal?"

Maggie chuckled as Leo shook Bianca's hand in agreement. _Oh boy, it's going to be an interesting couple of days._ Watching the woman before her willingly accept the hug offered by her son, Maggie knew she wouldn't have it any other way.


	19. Chapter 17b

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 17b:**

Bianca's house was oddly quiet as Kendall opened the oven to check on the turkey. She was startled when slender arms wrapped around her waist and she turned, giving them a good swat. "You know you're not supposed to scare me like that!"

Greenlee backed away, her hands up in surrender. "So how's the turkey coming along?"

Kendall narrowed her eyes at her girlfriend's devilish smile, "Why is it so quiet? What did you do with those poor children?"

"I just told them that they should get their rest so they can play with our special guest later." Greenlee shrugged as she stepped closer to the taller woman. "They were out before I even finished 'Sleeping Beauty'." She stepped closer again, placing her hands on the counter on either side of the slender body before her, leaning in to whisper, "What do you say we make our own fairy tale?"

Kendall whispered, surprised, "Our parents are in the other room!"

"They haven't left that room all day." Greenlee nipped at her girlfriend's neck. "I'm sure there are plenty more phone calls to make."

Kendall tilted her head back and let out a gasp as Greenlee continued the assault on her neck. Her eyes snapped open as she heard her name being called outside the kitchen.

"Kendall, that turkey smells…" Erica stepped into the kitchen and trailed off, grinning as the two women jumped apart. "I find it oddly amusing that you two are still so jumpy around me." She shook her head at the couple, wondering how many years it would take to cure them of that habit. Clearly the last three years hadn't taught them anything. "I've told you before that I just want my family to be happy. Now, as I was saying, the turkey smells wonderful."

"Mother, we were just startled by your voice, that's all."

Erica watched Greenlee rest her head on Kendall's shoulder. "I see, well, I suppose you're right. It is awfully quiet." She walked to the coffee maker and filled up the two cups she had brought with her into the kitchen. "I just got off the phone with Bianca. The hospital released Leo and the three of them just left Maggie's. They should be here shortly."

"Good thing the kids have been napping then."

Greenlee lifted her head from Kendall's shoulder and turned her attention toward Erica. "How are things looking for Maggie's mom?"

Erica finished stirring the coffee and smiled. "Things are good. We just have a couple more phone calls to make. Maggie's mother and her attorney have agreed to our proposal. We're just trying to get the warden on our side for when David meets with the DA and the judge. I think we'll have an agreement with the State of Wisconsin before dinner." Erica was startled when Jackson rushed into the room, his cell phone in his hand.

"I think we've got the warden on the ropes!" Jackson exclaimed. "He wants to talk to you again."

Erica picked up the phone, pressed the mute button, and then flipped her hair ready for anything. "What can I do for you warden?" She nodded her head a few times and furrowed her brow in confusion, "I see. However, I've never heard of such a request." After a few more minutes of listening to the warden's proposal, Erica smiled. "Fusion will have no problem providing the resources to make that happen." She nodded toward Jackson. "We'll await your call."

As her mother ended the call, Kendall exclaimed, "Well?"

"The warden is going to give his blessing to the DA." Erica handed the phone back to Jackson and took a drink of her coffee.

"That's good but what does that have to do with Fusion?" Greenlee asked before Kendall lost it.

Jackson sighed as he took the offered coffee from his wife. "Sweetheart..."

"Mother!"

"Oh alright! Calm down, Kendall." Erica didn't normally avoid confrontation but she was tired, she didn't want to argue with her family. "Fusion will be providing the resources to build a beauty school at the prison." When no one responded verbally, shocked looks on their faces, Erica continued, "It's the least we can do for Maggie, besides it will be tax deductible so Fusion won't take a hit. I would have thought you'd be in favor of this arrangement."

"Of course we're in favor of whatever it takes to get Maggie's mother here!"

Greenlee placed a calming hand on Kendall's forearm. She could already tell the taller woman was worked up and the day was meant for celebration, not fighting and frustration. "Erica, just please don't tell Maggie. She needs her mother to save her son, but she's not going to approve." Greenlee sighed heavily. "It will just cause her more stress at this point."

Erica nodded in agreement, "Of course, I won't say a thing."

"Leo! Will you please just take it easy?" Maggie said in exasperation as she pushed open the front door, struggling with the bags and her son, Bianca following behind with the surprisingly heavy bag filled with Nerf guns.

Greenlee heard her friend's tone and quickly stepped out of the kitchen. Noticing Maggie's struggle, she called for her nephew, "Leo, baby, come here." The little boy wiggled out of his mother's arms and ran to his Aunt Greenie, enveloping her in a hug. "You're supposed to listen to her, you know?"

Maggie resituated the bags on her shoulders and crossed into the living room. _I guess I need to get used to him running around again._

Jackson chuckled as he watched Bianca shut the door with her foot and then drop the large suitcase she held onto the floor. "What on earth is in that?"

Leo pulled away from Greenlee and exclaimed, "It's a surprise!"

Maggie dropped the bags she was carrying and rubbed the back of her neck, her agitated demeanor obvious to those in the room. "Leo, why don't you go with Grampa Jack to the office? Then you can show him the surprise."

Taking the hint, Jackson grabbed the suitcase Bianca had been carrying. "What do you say little man? Can you let me in on it?" Leo nodded and followed the tall man down the hall.

When the two were out of earshot, Maggie cleared her throat and spoke tiredly, "Is there a bottle of wine open?"

Kendall stepped back into the kitchen and grabbed the two bottles of wine from the chiller. Walking back into the living room, wine glass in hand, she wondered why Maggie wasn't in better spirits. _I'd be happy if my baby just got to come home from the hospital…_ She held the bottles out toward Maggie, "We've got a Chianti and a White Zinfandel."

Maggie just shrugged as she walked over to the couch, slumping into the soft cushions and leaning her head back. Bianca watched the familiar movements that signaled Maggie had reached her breaking point. Too much had happened and so quickly. _She didn't have any time to process. And now that relief is in sight… _ Bianca noticed Greenlee's worried expression, and turning toward her sister's questioning look, she sighed heavily, "Chianti, it relaxes her."

"Mags, are you okay?" Greenlee asked as she followed Bianca to the couch. She gestured for Kendall to get a few more wine glasses and heard Erica mumble something about checking on the kids. She nudged her friend, "Hey, talk to us. I thought you'd be happy."

Taking a deep breath, Maggie lifted her head and accepted the offered glass of wine from Bianca. She brought the glass to her lips and closed her eyes, inhaling the scent of cherry and spice before indulging in a long drink of the cool liquid. After a few moments of silence, Maggie opened her eyes to see that Kendall had joined them and was refilling her glass. "I'm sorry I'm a little cranky."

"You're allowed to be." Kendall remarked as she handed the other two women glasses of wine. "We're just wondering why, that's all."

"I guess I'm just run down and everything is finally hitting me." Maggie shrugged as she took another long drink of wine. "I'm a worrier."

Bianca's hand found Maggie's and held it gently. "The doctor wouldn't have released Leo if it wasn't alright for him to be up and about. Didn't she say that it would even be good for him to get some exercise?"

"Yeah, I guess I'm just a little overwhelmed."

"Well don't be. You've got all of us here ready to help in any way we can." Bianca squeezed Maggie's hand in reassurance.

"She's right, Mags. Jackson and Erica have been working all morning trying to get your mother released. They said they should have the approval by dinner and can leave tonight."

Kendall nodded in agreement with Greenlee. "Oh, and Anna finally got in touch with Aiden. Last we heard Reese was in CIA custody and en route to their secure facility." She leaned over and patted Maggie's knee. "Why don't you let us do the worrying for awhile? Enjoy Leo's first Kane/Montgomery Thanksgiving!"

Maggie chuckled at the memories that surfaced of past Kane/Montgomery holidays, "Hopefully it's the first one without any drama!" She turned serious again and placed her hand over Kendall's, "You're right. Thank you." Caught off guard, Kendall could only nod her head in response.

Bianca smiled at the interaction, pleased to see that her sister and her ex-girlfriend were no longer enemies. She opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted when the front door opened, revealing a large balloon that said 'Bienvenue chez vous!' She chuckled when Greenlee leaned over to Kendall and whispered that it said 'Welcome home!'

Zach poked his head inside and asked, "Did we make it before the guest of honor?" He then noticed Maggie sitting on the couch. "Oh… Come on guys, he's already here."

"It's okay, he's in the office."

Zach's smile brightened once more as Ryan and Aiden followed him inside. "Excellent!"

"Where did you find a piñata in France?" Kendall asked Ryan while he carefully pulled it out of his bag.

"That's why we're late." Ryan laughed, opening the top of the bumble bee's head.

Aiden ripped open the bags of candy and small toys, carefully dumping them through the opening. "We thought it would be fun after the last few days we've had."

Maggie laughed, "I think I could use a chance to hit something with a baseball bat." She took a moment to look at each individual in the room and smiled, realizing she should just put aside her worries and enjoy the day with her family.

"Hey Mom, Leo's here!" Spike exclaimed as he ran down the hallway to find his mother.

Ian followed his brother and also exclaimed, "He said he has a surprise for us!"

"Oh cool! Leo, come check this out." Miranda called down the hallway to a chatty Gabby and Leo, Jackson and Erica following closely behind with Leo's bag. Miranda smiled as she walked over to the couch and squeezed in between her mother and Maggie. She leaned her head against the shorter of the two and sighed happily. _This is how it is supposed to be._


	20. Chapter 18

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 18****:**

Maggie hunched down and crept into the kitchen, preparing to scare Bianca and Kendall. She cocked the Nerf gun and aimed. The sisters immediately turned around, Nerf guns pointed in Maggie's direction. "Crap…"

Kendall narrowed her eyes, "What do you think you're doing?"

"You should know better than to mess with the cook."

Maggie stood up and suavely slid across the floor to Bianca's side. "Who says I was aiming for Kendall?" Seeing Kendall raise her eyebrows and then turn back to check on the turkey, Maggie stepped closer to Bianca and whispered in the taller woman's ear, "What if I was aiming at you?"

Bianca was caught off guard by Maggie's closeness and the husky tone of her voice. The sounds of the Nerf war drifted away as she turned her head and looked into Maggie's sparkling eyes. Her breath having left her at the intenseness of Maggie's gaze, Bianca whispered, "Then take your shot."

Overcome by the surge of emotion and the look in Bianca's eyes, Maggie stepped closer and slowly touched her lips to Bianca's. Immediately at the touch, she felt her whole world right itself again and her heart swelled. Neither woman was sure who had deepened the kiss, but it was Kendall who forced them apart with the clearing of her throat.

"I hear the war heading this way." Kendall said to the still mesmerized pair. She smiled slightly as she shook her head, the two women still not paying attention.

"How did I know you'd be in here?" Greenlee teased as she pointed her Nerf crossbow at her friend.

Maggie winked at Bianca and quickly spun around, shooting Greenlee in the stomach. Surprised, Greenlee slumped over and released the dart from her crossbow. The dart hit Maggie in the leg, causing her to slightly lose her balance. "You know I play this game more than you." Maggie teased her friend.

"Eh, you know me. I just wanted to interrupt that steamy moment." Greenlee shrugged nonchalantly.

Bianca blushed and nudged Maggie, causing the shorter woman to stumble. "Hey, careful now, I've got a bullet wound in my leg."

Bianca rolled her eyes, "Go on, get out of here."

"Come on gimpy, we've got men to cripple."

The sisters watched the two women leave the kitchen. Greenlee was slumped over, clutching her stomach, and Maggie was dragging her left leg behind her. Kendall and Bianca looked at each other, expressions of astonishment on their faces. "Wow, they really get into this don't they?" Bianca just nodded in response to her sister as she listened to the playful screaming and laughter coming from around the corner. "Go on, I can finish the rest."

"Thanks Kendall!" Bianca exclaimed as she gave her sister a peck on the cheek and ran off to join the fun.

Kendall smiled at the recent turn of events with her sister and Maggie. _We've got some talking to do!_

Erica poked her head into the kitchen and briefly watched her daughter finish dinner preparations before interrupting her, "I don't know who came up with this game, but it has got to be the cutest and funniest thing I've ever seen." She stepped further into the kitchen as Kendall turned and wiped her hands on a towel. "All of them are acting like commandos! They're hiding, crouching, doing those funny hand signals, and when they get shot, oh Kendall… Zach and Aiden are moaning in pain, limping and favoring a certain arm. Ryan did this spectacular death scene after Spike shot a dart at his chest. And Leo's been shot in both legs, so now he's doing the commando belly crawl!" Erica laughed at the absurdity of it all.

"Oh wow, I'm glad you're recording it!" Kendall exclaimed as they heard a squeal down the hall and Erica motioned she was going back into the fray.

"Uh oh, run!"

Leo laughed at his uncle as his mother picked him up and placed him on her shoulders. "You're no match for the Stone Warrior!"

Maggie rushed after Aiden in a clunky, robotic manner as Leo pretended to steer. He set his sights on his uncle and nailed him in the chest.

Aiden dropped to his knees, clutching his chest, and sputtered, "You may have won this time, Stone Warrior!" He pretended to collapse backwards and shouted, "But next time, you and your mech will feel my wrath!"

"Uncle Zach and the boys ran outside!"

"Miranda and Gabby, take the route through the garage. The Stone Warrior will go out the back." Leo didn't notice Bianca and Erica standing behind them trying to hold in their laughter. "Be careful though, Aunt Greenie is still on the loose!"

Bianca touched Maggie's shoulder to get her attention, "Didn't you get shot in the leg?"

Maggie smirked at the silly game Jamie, Sonny, and Leo had created and then whispered, "Leo has special powers and becoming his mechanical other half wipes the slate clean."

Leo whispered, "Mom…"

"Oh right… Onward!" Maggie adjusted Leo on her shoulders and made some robotic noises as she ran outside.

Miranda hobbled playfully into the backyard, Gabby following behind, their backs at each other, pointing their Nerf guns in opposite directions. Miranda quickly dispatched Ian, the young boy making gurgling noises as he collapsed to the grass. Gabby shot a couple of darts in her direction as Greenlee came into view, hunched over and limping. "Gabby, watch out!" Miranda's warning wasn't quick enough as Greenlee took a rolling dive on the ground and released a dart toward Gabby.

Gabby grabbed her chest playfully and yelled dramatically, "The horror!"

"I've got you now!" Spike yelled as he hopped out of a bush toward Leo and Maggie.

"Oh no you don't!" Miranda shouted as she shot a dart in her cousin's direction before grabbing her sister's gun and pointing it at her aunt.

Distracted by his cousin's shouting, Spike turned toward Miranda and shot a couple of darts that hit her legs. Sporting a Nerf gun in each hand, Leo took the opportunity to extend his arms and release a flurry of darts at Spike and his aunt. Spike jumped up to avoid one of the darts but Leo had expected that and he was hit by two darts in the chest. He slid backwards on the grass dramatically, winking at Miranda as he hit the ground.

Leo's flurry of darts toward his aunt had hit her in both legs and both arms. Leo directed his mother toward his prone aunt and laughed playfully, his voice deepening, "And where is your accomplice?"

Kendall had joined her mother and sister prior to Gabby's demise. _How are they keeping straight faces through all of this?_ Jackson, Aiden, and Ryan had also joined the group at the back porch, all struggling to keep their laughter at bay. Kendall noticed Zach hiding in the bushes near the house and slowly made her way to him. "Zach!" She whispered and her ex-husband looked up, a questioning look in his eyes. "Dinner's ready. Can you wrap this up?"

Zach nodded his head and let out a Xena-like scream as he jumped out of the bushes, shooting darts in Leo and Maggie's direction. He tuned out the laughter that finally burst from the spectators and yelled, "Stone Warrior, you will pay for what you have done!" Maggie dropped to her knees as he released a few more darts in her direction.

Suddenly overcome by sadness and worry, Erica placed a hand over her heart in surprise. She took a deep breath and looked around. Everyone was watching Zach and Leo finish their battle. _Thank goodness no one noticed._ She looked at Maggie again, the young woman laughing at the shootout between Zack and her son. Erica couldn't get the image of Maggie suddenly dropping to her knees out of her head. _What is wrong with me? _She watched a couple of Leo's darts knock the Nerf gun from Zach's hand and then a few more hit him in the legs. She couldn't shake the bad feeling as she watched Zach drop to his knees too.

Leo used his deep voice again, laughing evilly as he pointed his Nerf guns at his uncle, "Just like those who have come before, I will not be destroyed!" He released another flurry of darts and watched as Zach met a spectacular demise, his uncle recoiling with each hit and then finally falling forward dramatically. "The Stone Warrior triumphs!"

The rest of the kids jumped up from their spots in the yard and ran over to Leo as his mother let him climb off her shoulders. A chorus of high-fives, "that was awesome", and "so much fun" rang out as they ran toward Zach congratulating him on the coolest fake death.

Maggie sighed happily as she rolled over onto her back, enjoying the sound of the kids laughing and carrying on in the distance. She couldn't remember the last time they had been able to play a proper Nerf war and it was fun.

"All right kiddos, and yes I'm talking to you three as well," Kendall called out as she pointed at the adults still lying in the grass, "Dinner is ready. Get inside and wash your hands."

"Awe Mom!" Spike whined. "Can't we play another round?"

"Yeah Aunt Kendall, can't we?"

Kendall shook her head. "You've got plenty to do the rest of the night. How about we plan another one for after brunch?" The kids gave their reluctant agreement and started up the porch steps. "Chop chop!" Kendall patted their bottoms as each of the children passed. "Don't forget to wash your hands."

Zach and Greenlee high-fived as they walked toward Maggie. Still lying on the ground, Maggie opened her eyes to see her friends extending their hands to her. She took them and they helped her stand. "I think that was the best one yet!" Greenlee exclaimed.

"I could have held out longer but Kendall gave me the two minute warning."

"Eh, that's alright, there's always tomorrow." Maggie smiled brightly as they walked toward the porch and joined the other adults. She rubbed her stomach, "Besides, I'm starved!"

Kendall laughed. "Well they tell me that turkey is just the right size for you, Ms. Small Army."

"Oh!" Jackson exclaimed as if he remembered something. "I came out here to tell you guys the good news but got pulled into the action."

"What is it?" Bianca asked.

Erica blurted, "Did the judge agree?"

Maggie was confused, "What are you guys talking about?"

"The DA's office and the judge presiding over your mother's case have agreed to the terms of our proposal."

"That's fantastic!" Zach exclaimed.

Aiden raised his eyebrows in surprise, "You guys did that quick. What are the terms?"

"She will be released into mine and David's custody for the duration of the transplant preparation, the surgery, and then recovery. There will be two corrections officers from the prison, two Wisconsin police officers, and two French officers assigned to her for the duration of the trip."

"Thank you so much, Jack." Maggie said as she hugged the older man and then turned toward Erica. "And you too, Erica."

"Of c-" Erica briefly choked on her words, still reeling from the feeling that overtook her earlier. "Of course, dear."

"Anything for you, kiddo." Jackson said as he ruffled her hair playfully.

Erica cleared her throat as the group moved inside, "I'll call to have the jet readied. Jack dear, will you come with me?"

* * *

"That was incredibly entertaining." Bianca said as she reached for the hand towel.

Maggie was washing her hands at the other sink and chuckled. "We always have so much fun." She accepted the towel from Bianca. "We certainly have ourselves a little drama club, don't we?"

Bianca smiled at both the thought and Maggie's slip-up. "Yes, that we do." She took the towel back from the older woman and grasped her hand, pulling her closer. "Did I tell you how hot it was when you slinked your way over to me today in the kitchen?"

Smirking, Maggie shook her head slightly. "No, you didn't."

"Well I think we need to remedy that." Bianca husked as she stepped closer and crashed her lips into Maggie's.

* * *

"What's wrong?"

Erica paced the length of the office, her hand held to her forehead. Distressed, she said, "Something's not right, Jack."

"Okay…" Jackson stepped forward and stopped his wife, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Tell me what you're thinking."

"I just… I've got a bad feeling." Erica leaned her head against her husband's chest. "I don't know what it is, but I can't shake it." She looked up into Jackson's eyes. "I think I need to stay here."

Jackson kissed his wife's forehead tenderly, "Whatever you think you need to do is alright with me. I can make the trip alone."

"No, I want someone to go with you." Erica shook her head. "The last thing we need is you and David without a referee."

Chuckling, Jackson nodded his head in agreement. "You've got a point there."

"After I call the pilot, I'll ask Ryan if he'll go with you. I'd like him to get a couple of Cambias security from the U.S. office to meet you at the prison." At Jackson's odd expression, Erica elaborated, "Just in case. Now go on, I'll make sure the jet is ready by the time we're finished with the piñata."

* * *

Surprising Maggie, Bianca pinned the shorter woman to the bathroom counter. The kiss full of passion and urgency, both women fought for control, the fire blazing a path between them. Bianca's hands, a mind of their own, quickly lifted Maggie to sit atop the counter and then began to caress the older woman's outer thighs.

Maggie's soul nearly ripped through her chest at the feelings the two were unleashing. She pulled Bianca closer and slid her hands under the taller woman's blouse, sighing happily into the kiss as she felt Bianca's soft skin beneath her fingertips.

The two women didn't hear the first, second, or third knocks on the door frame to the bathroom. Instead they heard a distinct clearing of a throat followed by, "Girls… It seems we're just waiting on you."

Maggie leaned her head on Bianca's shoulder, hiding her face in the crook of the younger woman's neck. She had heard the smile in the intruder's voice, but she couldn't bring herself to look at the woman after such a passionate moment.

Thankfully to both women, Bianca was able to gather her wits, "Thank you mother, we'll be right out."


	21. Chapter 19

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note:**For the Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Part 19:**

Having just come inside from destroying the piñata, Zach cleared the rest of the dishes from the table and walked them into the kitchen. "I don't know why you insist on doing the dishes when you're the one that spent all day cooking that delicious feast." Zach said as he set the final stack of plates on the counter.

"Bianca's helping, see? Besides, it will give us a chance to talk for a bit." Kendall winked at Zach and then smirked at his knowing look.

Zach chuckled at Bianca's confused expression, "I see, well I'm just going to leave you to it then." He walked back out into the living room to find Aiden searching through the closet. "It's on the top shelf."

"Thanks mate!"

As Aiden reached for the poker set, Zach removed the table cloth from the dining room table. "Hey Mags, you want to join us for a game?" He looked over to the couch and laughed, "I guess that's a no."

Maggie, exhausted from the last few days, had come in from outside and plopped down on the couch. She was sitting up, one leg hanging off the side over the arm rest, head tilted to the other side, mouth gaping open, completely oblivious to the world around her.

"I guess that's what eating a third of a turkey that big will do to ya, all that tryptophan." Aiden laughed as he finally pulled the poker set down from the closet. He turned to see Greenlee walking back into the room. "Hey Greens, you and Ken are still joining us right?"

Greenlee nodded her head in affirmation. "Yeah, set us both up. Don't count Erica, though. She decided to stay with the kids. It's too cute!" She handed the camera to Aiden and pointed at the picture of Erica sitting in the middle of the big guest bed, surrounded by children, Miranda and Leo at her side. "I think they're going to watch a movie or two. They're pretty tuckered out."

* * *

As Kendall took the plate from Bianca and dried it with a towel, her mother's words rang in her ears. _I knew they wouldn't be able to keep their feelings from coming back to the surface._ She turned toward her sister and smiled sincerely, thinking about the look of admiration she saw on both Maggie's and Bianca's face when the other wasn't looking.

When Kendall didn't take the offered dish, Bianca looked up and tilted her head in question, "What's that look for?"

Her smile not retreating, Kendall took the dish from her sister's hand. "I'm happy that you and the Magster have found each other again."

"I am too, but we're far from having things worked out, Ken."

"That's not what I heard." Kendall smirked and finished drying the dish in her hands.

Bianca immediately stopped washing the dishes in the sink and narrowed her eyes, grabbing the towel from her sister to dry her hands. "And what did you hear?"

"Mom said she walked in on you two getting pretty hot and heavy." Kendall watched Bianca cover her eyes in embarrassment. "Hey, it's not like she saw… well, yeah, she did see everything, but don't worry about it. She was happy you two are finally-"

Bianca shook her head and interrupted, "But Kendall, we're not, we're not there yet."

"But why not? You two belong together. Everyone knows that."

Bianca sighed, "God Ken, I want to be there, I do… But there's so much we still need to deal with, to talk about. Shouldn't we before-" She shook her head, interrupting her thought. "I don't want to screw this up."

Kendall finally saw the fear and sorrow in her sister's eyes. She took a step closer and pulled Bianca into a hug. "You can't live your life afraid to take chances, especially when it comes to the woman you love." She kissed her sister on the cheek and squeezed her arms as she stepped away. "Go. Take some time. Talk to her." Kendall watched Bianca look into the dining room to see Zach and Aiden shuffling a few decks of cards. "We'll be fine, Binks. Go."

Bianca nodded. She couldn't hide her nervousness as she walked into the living room. And then she saw Maggie's state and laughed, her nerves settling down. She bent down, placing a hand on Maggie's shoulder, and whispered in her ear, "Maggie." The shorter woman stirred at the sound of the soft whisper and the feel of hot breath on her neck. Bianca smiled at how she could still cause such an affect in the older woman. She watched Maggie's searching eyes find her own and whispered, "We need to talk." She tilted her head in the direction of her bedroom and walked away.

Still reeling from the feelings that arose from Bianca's awakening, Maggie closed her eyes and tried to process what had been said. _Talk… Bedroom…_ Maggie's eyes immediately opened as she remembered what they had started before dinner. Eager to continue their 'talk', Maggie hopped up from the couch and walked toward the master bedroom.

As Maggie passed by the kitchen, Kendall called her back, "Mags, you're gonna need this." Confused, the shorter woman took the offered bottle of wine and continued down the hallway. Kendall joined Greenlee back at the sink and chuckled, "She has no idea what she's getting into."

"Hell, I don't think any of us do… I just hope it doesn't backfire." Greenlee threw the towel at the taller woman and smirked evilly, "Come on, let's go show those boys who's boss."

* * *

Maggie opened the door to find the master bedroom dark, the only light coming from the lamp near the bay window illuminating a waiting Bianca. She shut the door and locked it, setting the bottle of wine on a nearby table, unable to take her eyes off of the younger woman. Maggie's thoughts briefly turned to a realization that maybe she and Bianca needed to slow things down, but her heart wanted nothing to do with the idea. She took quick steps toward Bianca and watched the taller woman stand in surprise.

"Thanks for coming. I-"

Stepping closer, Maggie interrupted Bianca by placing a soft kiss to her earlobe and whispered huskily, "Don't thank me yet, baby."

"Mag-" Bianca gasped as she felt soft lips trail down her jawline, settling over her pulsepoint. "Maggie, we- Oh Go-" She sighed with pleasure and pulled away slightly, trying to regain her bearings and stop the fire from overtaking her before she could start their talk.

Maggie took the opportunity to capture Bianca's lips in a passionate kiss. She turned her around and slowly led her backwards toward the bed as the kiss deepened, both women fighting for control once again. She pulled on Bianca's shirt and slid her hands beneath it. Finally able to touch the younger woman's soft skin again, Maggie nipped at Bianca's ear and whispered on a shaky sigh, "I want you."

Bianca's eyes closed in sheer ecstasy at the feel of Maggie's hands on her stomach, her lips trailing down her neck, and she forgot about everything she wanted to say except for one thing. As her own hands started pulling on Maggie's shirt in response, she sighed happily, "I've never wanted anything more."

Each woman pulled away, quickly disposed of their shirts, and paused momentarily taken back by the beauty before them. Pulled from their reverie, Bianca and Maggie moved swiftly toward the other. Hands caressed naked skin, lips crashed, tongues dueled. The underside of Bianca's knees hit the edge of the bed, somewhat sobering her to her previous task. Before she could protest, Maggie had gently laid her down on the bed and began a trail of kisses from the younger woman's torso upward.

"Wait, Maggie…" Bianca sighed, a mixture of pleasure and frustration at her head and heart. _You've got to talk to her. No matter how much you want to continue, this isn't going to solve anything. _Bianca's resolve strengthened. She didn't want her heart broken again, she couldn't take it… _Not because of Maggie…_ She moved her hands to Maggie's shoulders and used gentle pressure to get the older woman's attention. "Maggie." All movement stopped and confused eyes stared back into Bianca's. "Maggie, I desperately want to be with you, but I think we should talk." Bianca's eyes pleaded with Maggie's, "We need to. Don't you think we're moving too fast?"

Shaking her head, Maggie shifted and placed all of her weight on her elbows. "No, I love you Bianca. I know what I want. And I don't know why these horrible things have happened to us these last few days, but if it was just to bring us back together then it was worth it. I feel so alive beside you and I immediately feel like my world is complete. I want to be with you."

"If we're gonna give it another shot, we need to be more open with each other. Maggie, I don't want to screw this up." Bianca gently placed a hand to Maggie's cheek and looked into her eyes. "And I want to be with you too."

"Bianca, I know that we could be so much better than we are apart. But baby, we've got plenty of time to figure out the rest of our lives."

Bianca frowned. "Mags, we can't just deal with everything later."

"Why not?"

"Because then we never will."

* * *

"And another hand goes to the girls!" Greenlee exclaimed as she pulled the chips closer to her pile.

Aiden rolled his eyes. "I forgot how good you were at this."

"Well, I can't believe how long it took to get that piñata busted." Kendall laughed, continuing their previous conversation.

Zach held up his hands in mock defense, "Hey, I swear we didn't reinforce it!"

"I think the best part was when Leo nearly took out Ryan!" Greenlee laughed as she finished stacking her chips.

"Yeah that was good, but no, the best part was definitely seeing a dizzy Erica try to hit that thing! I don't think she's ever picked up a bat before!" Kendall shook her head laughing and took a drink of her beer.

Aiden took another drink of his beer and shook his head. "No way, it was definitely the last hit when Maggie swung the bat so hard the force of hitting the piñata knocked her flat on her back."

"All those are great, but I'm feeling sentimental tonight."

Aiden took Zach's beer away from him at his statement. "That's it, we're cutting you off!"

The group laughed as Greenlee dealt the cards and Zach continued, "No really, the best moment was when the piñata burst open and all the kids had to find every single piece of candy on the ground. And then Maggie lifting each of the kids into the air like an airplane near the end, dive-bombing the last of the goodies… Priceless."

The others thought back to the after dinner activity and how much fun everyone seemed to have, especially Maggie and the kids. Kendall nodded, smiling, "I can't believe she was able to pick Miranda up. That girl is almost as tall as she is now!"

* * *

Bianca sat up as Maggie moved to the other side of the bed and sat Indian-style, shaking her head. "I'm so sorry I lost you, B. I don't know what else you want me to say. I honestly never thought anything could come between us."

"I didn't think it was possible either. What happened? What was so bad at home that you had to get attention from Cecelia?"

Maggie sighed heavily, "Bianca, I told you already, I didn't cheat on you with Cecelia."

"No, that not what I meant. You said that you should have told her to back off, but you didn't…"

"Oh, right, okay…" Maggie rubbed her forehead, frowning. "It's not going to make any sense."

Bianca softly said, "Try."

"When we first got here, things were great. There was no pressure, just like you said. But then as soon as we got together… You just couldn't enjoy what we had, what we were working toward… And when I told you I felt pressured, it was like you shut down on me. It felt like it was one or the other with you. It was either I give in to being something more than just lovers, which I wasn't ready for, or I give it up and get the cold shoulder."

"Maggie, I don't-"

"That's what it felt like, Bianca. It may not have been you're intention, but that's how I felt. And when you stopped giving me the time of day… I had absolutely no interest in Cecelia, but it was nice to have someone show an interest in what I was saying, what I was doing, what I was wearing…"

Bianca frowned. "She just wanted in your pants."

Maggie shook her head in frustration, "Bianca, I didn't care what she wanted! I wanted YOU to want in my pants!" She took a calming breath. "I was trying to fix us. I may not have been ready for what you wanted just yet, but that didn't mean that I didn't want you, that I didn't want to try to get there."

A tear fell from Bianca's eye as she realized her foolish and selfish mistake. "I'm sorry, Maggie, I never meant to push you away, to hurt you like that."

Maggie shrugged, trying to hide her discomfort at the conversation. "It's in the past now." She took another deep breath, unable to lift the weight that had settled over her heart, her own questions tearing her apart.

"Why didn't you come after us sooner?"

Maggie was silent for a few minutes and the last of the walls she had built to protect herself came tumbling down. A tear escaped her eye and she sighed, "I was hurt. How could my best friend, the one person in this world who knew me better than I knew myself, think that I had cheated on her? How could you just leave without talking to me?"

Bianca nodded and wiped her eyes. "I was hurt too. I know I was wrong to leave like that. And I now know that you didn't betray me and I'm sorry… But what about the note you left? And the New Year's Eve phone call?"

"What are you talking about? What note? What phone call?"

Bianca furrowed her brow at Maggie's genuinely confused expression. "You left me a note saying you wanted to explore your options, that you needed time to figure out what you wanted."

"That's absurd! I left for my exam expecting to talk to you when I got home."

"And then on New Year's Eve, you called to tell me you were at Cecelia's and that you decided you didn't want to get back together."

"I never called you, Bianca."

"I think I know your voice, Maggie."

Maggie rubbed her eyes, thinking back to that dark period. "Bianca, I did not leave you a note and I didn't call you on New Year's Eve. As soon as I finished my exams, I spent the rest of the year at the bottom of a bottle." She furrowed her brow in thought. "Oh my God… One of our labs had us do all our lab notes on a digital recorder… Cecelia could have easily used that to call you. And that note, she could have left it before I kicked her out that night. Ugh, why do we attract crazy people?"

"That is so far-fetched, but I could say that about this whole thing with Reese. And I can tell that you're not lying. But something's bothered me about your trip to Pine Valley."

"What's that?"

"Why did you apologize for cheating if you didn't?"

"Oh." Maggie closed her eyes, upset with some of her past decisions. "I guess I thought it was the only way you were going to listen to me. You were so convinced that I had cheated and I didn't want to argue anymore. Now I know why you were so convinced. I would have been too after the note and the phone call. I'm so sorry, Bianca."

Bianca only nodded in response. The silence stretched on for ten minutes before she heard Maggie sigh heavily. She looked up and saw the older woman with her head in her hands. "Maggie? What's wrong?"

Maggie tried, she had really tried not to let her questions out of their box, but she couldn't stop them. The weight over her heart had just gotten heavier as their conversation continued. _Bianca got her questions answered, why can't I? Because they will just make things worse. We're actually at a good point right now. Shut up!_ She grabbed her hair and pulled on it roughly as she let her hands fall back to the bed.

"Maggie?"

"Why did you tell me emails were okay if you weren't going to answer a single one? How could you cut off communication like that? Forget about how you jumped into things with Zoe and Reese, but how could you forgive Babe for stealing your kid? And don't sit there and tell me that it's different."

"But it was different, Maggie. I didn't love Babe with everything inside of me. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life with Babe. What you did, or what I thought that you did, was worse than anything anyone else could have ever done. You were my best friend, my protector, my lover, my life… I couldn't get past the betrayal. My heart had shattered into a million pieces." Bianca wiped at her tears. "I did get your emails, I just couldn't respond. It hurt too much."

"What about with Reese? She was apparently the love of your life and you forgave her for cheating on you. How could you forgive her and not me? Why wasn't I worthy of your forgiveness? Forgiveness for an event that didn't even happen… Why didn't you give me a chance?"

Bianca watched Maggie wipe angrily at the tears streaming down her cheeks and scooted closer, placing her hand on Maggie's knee. "Reese was never the love of my life. I just wanted her, no, I needed her to be. I needed to know that someone could love me like you did and stay. I needed to forget you because it physically hurt too much to even think your name. I forgave Reese because I desperately wanted that family that I wanted with you. I needed something to work." She pulled Maggie into a hug, both women crying now, emotionally spent. "I never stopped loving you and that broke my heart every single day. I couldn't forgive you for that. I couldn't give you a chance to hurt me again because I couldn't recover from the first time. I am so sorry, Maggie. I am so sorry that we've lost so much time."

Maggie held tightly to Bianca's waist as her tears slowed. "Me too, B. But we're here now, right?"

Bianca smiled slightly. "Yes, yes we are. And I think we've gotten everything out on the table, what about you?"

"Yeah, I do." Maggie sat up and frowned. "But why do I still have such a heaviness over my heart?"


	22. Chapter 20a

**All These Lives**

**Author's Note #1:** For Disclaimer and Summary, see Chapter 1. Thoughts are in _italics_.

**Author's Apology: **I offer you all my sincerest apology for going on a sudden hiatus. I had no intention of being away from this story for so long. My health and work life took many unscheduled detours. At times I couldn't type because I had lost feeling in my arms and hands, and at other times I lost motivation to write at all because I was so stressed with work. I became an avid reader again and finally am feeling well enough to finish out this fic. I hope I haven't lost you all and I thank you for your continued support.

**Author's Note #2:** I've had the ending of this story planned since the very beginning... and it's actually the reason I wanted to tell this story.

* * *

**Part 20a:**

Anna Devane paced through the darkness of the hospital room, unable to believe the hushed conversation she just had with one of her agency contacts in Paris. She stopped for a moment to look at her daughter. Once they had arrived in Port Charles, Sonny and Alexis had been waiting for them. The news wasn't good. Mac had yet to regain consciousness. The damage to his internal organs had been substantial and the doctors had said it was going to be a 'wait and see' game. Anna sighed heavily as she stared at her sleeping daughter, Robin's head resting against Mac's bed. She noticed the tight grip her daughter had on Mac's right hand and remembered how Robin had refused to leave Mac's side, practically ordering Patrick to return home with Emma to get some rest without her. Anna prayed that good news would find them soon as she quickly exited the hospital room and dialed a once familiar number.

Wanting to delay the inevitable reaction to her news, from Maggie especially, Anna had decided to dial Bianca's home number. The phone ringing in her ear, Anna shuffled her feet and sighed as she heard the voice of her nephew answer.

"Hello?"

"Aiden, it's Anna. I'm so glad you're the one who answered the phone."

* * *

Throwing the cordless phone on the bed, Aiden quickly pulled on a pair of jeans. He knew this moment was coming, but was surprised at how quickly the information had traveled. He needed to get to Reese's house immediately. Aiden grabbed a shirt and picked the phone back up, rushing out of the guest room topless. "Anna, you still there?"

"Yes, what are you doing?"

As Aiden ran down the hall and stairs, the phone in one hand and his shirt in the other, he briefly checked the rooms for anyone who could take the phone from him. He could hear Anna's faraway voice yelling his name, but ignored it as he rushed by the kitchen and into the living room.

"Whoa boy, put your shirt on!"

"Ah, Kendall, great." Aiden threw the phone in his ex-girlfriend's direction. As he ran out the door, he yelled, "It's Anna."  
Confused, Kendall stared at the door as she put the phone to her ear, "Anna?"

"Kendall? Where's Aiden?"

Frowning, Kendall got nervous at Anna's tone. "He just threw the phone at me and left. What's going on? Is Mac alright?" She heard the heavy sigh on the other end of the call.

"He hasn't regained consciousness, but I have no reservations about him pulling through. He's a fighter."

"Well, we're all thinking about you guys."

"Thank you, but that's actually not why I called."

"Oh?"

"I have news for Maggie and Bianca… it's about Reese…"

Kendall immediately stood, gripping the phone tightly. She desperately wanted to know what was going on, but knew Anna wanted to talk to Maggie and her sister first. "This doesn't sound good…"

* * *

The master bedroom was quiet except for the rustle of the sheets as Maggie started to awaken. The tiny woman felt the warm body spooning her from behind and smiled. She pulled Bianca's arms closer as she turned her body slightly to look at the younger woman's beautiful face. _Like an angel._

Bianca inhaled the scent of jasmine as she began to wake up, pulling Maggie closer to her body. _I could never get tired of this feeling._ She felt the older woman turn in her arms and opened her eyes. Bianca's heart swelled and a fire stirred within as she gazed into Maggie's eyes. Maggie looked so happy and Bianca could feel the love pouring from her eyes, see the glint of passion.

Before either woman knew what was happening, they were locked in a passionate kiss, the fire blazing through their bodies. Each woman struggled with control, their connection only growing stronger as they gave in to their needs.

Gasping for air, Bianca allowed Maggie to push her back against the bed. She reveled in the feeling of Maggie's legs on either side of her body, the older woman straddling her mid-section, the heat overwhelming.

Maggie quickly removed her shirt, smirking at Bianca's unconscious lip-licking. She leaned down and slid her hands under the younger woman's tank top, running them over Bianca's heaving chest and pulling the tank top over Bianca's head. Both women took a moment to admire the beauty on display before their passion took control and they were locked in another kiss, their hands roaming each other's bare skin.

"Did you hear that?" Bianca whispered as Maggie kissed her neck.

"Hmm?"

The knock came again, then the door knob rattled and they heard a thud. "Damn it Bianca, why the hell is your door locked? And do you know where Maggie is?"

Bianca leaned her head back and let out an exasperated sigh as Maggie rolled off of her. They just couldn't catch a break. They both got out of bed and put their shirts back on as they walked to the door and pulled it open.

Kendall rubbed her head, having assumed the door was unlocked and getting a headache in return. "Um…" She noticed the red and swollen lips, the heaving chests, and the general fluster of the two women standing before her and smiled knowingly. _Oops._ She cleared her throat and handed Maggie the phone. "It's Anna… something about Reese…"

Bianca watched Maggie immediately tense at the words and put the phone on speaker. "What's going on, Anna?"

There was a pause on the line and then Anna finally spoke, "Reese is missing."

"Excuse me?"

"Reese and the two CIA agents transporting her never made it to the agency facility."

The phone slipped from Maggie's hand and Bianca caught it before it hit the ground. "Oh God…" Maggie mumbled as she took off for the stairs to check on the kids.

Bianca and Kendall rushed after her as Anna continued speaking, "I've got people looking into it, including Aiden. I just thought you should know."

"This isn't happening…" Bianca shook her head and handed the phone back to Kendall. She couldn't deal with any more information at the moment.

Kendall watched her sister join Maggie at the door to the guest room where the children were camped out the night before. She sighed, "Thanks Anna. You'll let us know if you hear anything else?"

"Of course."

Absentmindedly nodding at the phone, Kendall ended the call and walked toward her sister, suddenly needing to see her sons as well.  
Maggie released the breath she had been holding as she set her eyes upon the beautiful sight in front of her. The smile on Erica's face told her that everything was alright and she finally allowed herself to let out a small chuckle at the state of the guest bed. Ian and Gabrielle were still asleep and practically falling off either side of the bed, Spike was curled up at the end of the bed and watching cartoons, Miranda was snoring beside her grandmother, and Leo had his head hidden under a pillow. _If only every day could start out this good._

"Do you need a hand, Mom?" Bianca whispered.

Erica shook her head in response, still admiring the happiness that radiated from Maggie. "Happy Thanksgiving, girls."

* * *

Aiden was thankful for his team's quick response to the news of Reese's disappearance. He needed the time they spent looking for her on the transportation route to take a couple of agents to her house. He needed to find the incriminating information on the doctors so he could remove them as quickly as possible. No one was quite sure how deep things went, especially after the incident with the unidentified bomb, and he couldn't take any chances that Reese had additional plans for Leo.

* * *

"See, Maggie, they were okay. Everything's okay." Bianca softly said. She moved to stand in between Maggie's legs as the shorter woman sat down on the bed. Bianca cupped Maggie's face in her hands and tried to calm her friend down. Maggie had started freaking out the minute they had stepped away from the children.

"How could Reese be missing? I don't understand." Maggie looked up into Bianca's eyes and tried to let the younger woman soothe her thoughts, but it wasn't working. Maggie just couldn't shake the dread she was feeling. Her eyes pleaded with her friend, "Can you get some Cambias guards to hang around the house?"

"I'll call Pierre in a moment." Bianca leaned her forehead against Maggie's. "But first, I need you to be here with me instead of out there worrying about what Reese is up to. Do you think you can-" Bianca was interrupted by the sound of Gabrielle screaming. Her eyes widened in fear and the two women pulled apart, alarm written across their faces. They couldn't get to the door fast enough.

The blood rushing in Maggie's ears, she thought she heard Greenlee screaming her name as she yanked the door open and ran down the hall. Maggie's heart ached as she saw the reason for the screaming. Her son was on his back on the floor shaking violently, his limbs flailing and his head hitting the floor repeatedly. She quickly dropped to the floor beside her seizing son. "Call an ambulance, Bianca!" Tears slipped from her eyes as she steadied Leo's head in her hands, trying to stop him from getting another head injury.

"Mum?" Miranda looked at Maggie with fear in her eyes.

Zach and Erica rushed into the room, having heard the commotion from upstairs, and pulled the children away from their friend. Spike yelled at Zach that he wanted to help and Kendall joined the pair, trying to calm her son down. Erica held Ian and Gabrielle close to her as they cried, whispering that everything would be alright.

Maggie looked up at her daughter and noticed the fear and the tears that had yet to fall from the young girl's eyes. "It's okay, Mimo. He's just really sick, remember?"

"But that's why your mom is coming. She's going to fix it, right?"

Maggie didn't know what to say and was relieved when Bianca came into the room and ushered her daughter away. She watched Bianca try to reassure Miranda and closed her eyes tightly, wishing it was all just a nightmare and she was actually back in bed with Bianca.  
The door burst open and the medical personnel tended to Leo. Maggie stood awkwardly and ran her hands through her hair haphazardly. She looked around the room and felt lost. _Jamie always knew what to do in these situations…_ Maggie turned to watch the medical personnel strap Leo down on the stretcher and indicated that she'd be joining them in the ambulance. When they started to leave the house, Spike and Miranda ran to Leo's side.

"Hang in there Stone Warrior." Spike said as he pat his friend on the shoulder. The adults were amazed at the maturity in Spike's words and Kendall's heart swelled as she realized just how fast her son was growing up.

"Yeah, Leo, we've made so many plans. Hang in there little bro." Miranda reiterated as she kissed her brother on his forehead. She remembered what AJ had told her about Leo's condition before he left, before Leo started to get better, and leaned down to Leo's ear. She whispered, "Besides, Mum needs you. We all do."

* * *

Aiden ignored the stares he and his team were getting as they led the handcuffed doctors and nurses out of the hospital. He hadn't realized the magnitude of Reese's operation in the hospital until he had read the documentation he and his team had found in her safe. Additional assistance had been needed as the doctors and nurses had put up a fight, some of them even running. Aiden shook the hand of the last remaining doctor left in the oncology department, a grimace on his face, and apologized for putting him in a horrible position. It just had to be done.

* * *

The ER was bustling with activity, but Maggie ignored it. All she heard was the sound of her son's breathing. She was thankful Erica had offered to stay with the children at Bianca's. She didn't think she could have handled anymore of their sad looks, their looks of fear.

"Have you seen anyone yet?"

Maggie quickly stood and gave Bianca a long hug. "No, I don't know why. Marian should know that we're here."

Bianca rubbed her friend's back lovingly. "Well, it's pretty busy out there, so-"

An orderly interrupted their conversation, "Excuse me, Dr. Stone?"

Maggie looked at the man's name tag, "Yes, Miguel?"

Noticing the orderly shifting nervously, Bianca asked, "Is everything alright?" She thought his behavior quite odd.

"I'm here to take Leopold to his room to wait for Dr. Cerat."

Maggie narrowed her eyes, "Where is Marian?" At the man's confused expression, she asked again, "Where is Dr. Truett?"

The man cleared his throat as he moved closer to Leo's bedside, "She and many others were arrested just a while ago." Before the two women could object, Miguel started wheeling Leo out of the ER.

* * *

**To be continued... **


End file.
